Choosing love over hatred

It was a long hard winter for the pilgrims after leaving their ships and establishing a colony at Plymouth. The severe winter took over half of their lives due to starvation and exposure.

The following summer was blessed. God's abundant favor was evident. That fall, following a great bountiful summer, Governor Bradford declared a time of thankfulness to God.

A thanksgiving celebration feast was possible because one spring morning after the long cold winter, an Indian named Squanto came out of the woods and found a small colony of white men and women. They were the remaining pilgrims who survived the first winter at Plymouth.

Had he held grudges, Squanto could have faded silently into the forest, gathered some braves, crept back and wiped out the palefaces.

The seed of hatred had been sown into his heart by a famous British sea captain who sold him into slavery in Spain. Later Squanto escaped to England. Eventually he was back home through the kindness of a man who befriended a fellow human being in a strange land. In so doing, a seed of love was planted.

Squanto chose to remember goodness rather than evil. He cultivated the seed of love and let the seed of hatred die. Squanto approached the pilgrims and astonished them when he spoke English. Soon he was showing the techniques of hunting, fishing and farming to the colonists. He became their friend.

His forgiveness made possible a three-day thanksgiving feast which is the background for our present Thanksgiving celebration.

The Rev. Paul Killingsworth serves as the pastor at Yuma First Assembly.