gratitude

have you ever noticed
that the people with the fewest possessions
have the most gratitude?
or the people who have little
are more thankful for what they have
than the ones who have much?


everyone has a story
of meeting someone who has few possessions,
but much gratitude
and much joy.
and we don’t have to look far to find
people with much wealth,
but little joy-
and little gratitude,
and little satisfaction with their life.


that doesn’t make any sense!
it would make better sense
if the people who have more possessions
would have more gratitude.
but its not like that-
why?


does wealth make us forget
that God has been generous?
does poverty remind us
that even though there is little money,
there is much to be thankful for?


there is always something to be thankful for-
because no matter how bad the situation is,
it could always be worse-
and thankfully, it isn’t.


the bible says in 1 thessalonians 5:
“be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in christ jesus.”


thankfulness actually chases away sin-
ephesians 5 says:
“let there be no sexual immorality,
impurity, or greed among you.
such sins have no place among God’s people.
obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—
these are not for you.
instead, let there be thankfulness to God.”
(new living)


thankfulness is our “instead.”
thankfulness drives out impurity and greed.
it replaces the gap that nastiness left.


when you stop to consider all that you can be thankful for-
why jeopardize it for something that just isn’t worth it?


thankfulness is a big deal to God-
in romans 1 paul writes about God’s wrath-
and he says that God pours His wrath out on people
who have totally turned their backs on Him.


what does that look like?
he describes them by saying:
“although they knew God,
they neither glorified him as God
nor gave thanks to him,
but their thinking became futile
and their foolish hearts were darkened.”


a lack of gratitude leads to a dark heart,
and a dull mind,
and a distance from God.
crazy!


the greek word for thanksgiving is
“eucharisto.”
we sometimes call the Lord’s supper
“the eucharist;”
and that’s because
when we think of all that jesus has done for us,
especially by saving us by his death on the cross,
there is no better reaction than to say,
“thank you.”