Once I gave someone a gift — and then didn’t hear back from them.

At first I assumed that this person was grateful, but then began to wonder if I had offended them, or if they even got the gift or worse yet (over thinking it all), maybe the really didn’t like it !

At a much later date, our paths crossed and I asked if they had received the present. “Oh, yes!” was exuberantly said, “Thank you. I really appreciated it!”

I was relieved, but that experience made me reflect on my own failures to promptly express gratitude.

Deeply ingrained into each of our hearts, you and I know the importance of gratitude. We spend time teaching our children how to say, “Thank you,” how to write a note of appreciation.

But, then we adults often fail to take the time say, “Thank you” or stop and take time to say it in a way that someone needs to hear it said. Thoughtfully!

Sometimes we think, “Well, the other person knows I am grateful. Why make a big deal about it?” But the other person does NOT know!

When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back. He praised God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him.

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,” Luke 17:15.

Now, look as Jesus points out the importance of expressing gratitude! He praises the Samaritan who returned to thank him.

Jesus had cured ten lepers, but only one came back to say, “Thank you.”

When Jesus saw the Samaritan, He immediately wondered about the other nine men who had also been healed.

Jesus asked, “Weren’t all ten healed? Where are the other nine? Didn’t anyone else return and give praise to God except this outsider?”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

Now honestly, we shouldn’t be too hard on the other nine. After all, they were doing what Jesus told them: “Go show yourselves to the priests.”

They were obeying Jesus’ instructions. The Samaritan, however, obeyed a deeper law: the law of gratitude.

The Samaritan gives us a wonderful example of prompt gratitude. The person who has a grateful heart — and who expresses it in a sincere way — builds strong friendships.

That not only applies on a human level, but also in the way that we communicate with God.

The power of Gratitude can be seen by observing its opposite. The opposite of gratitude is complaining.

We complain because we are unhappy, ungrateful about our lives. Most of our complaining and criticizing does little good, but a word of gratitude can make someone’s day, maybe even change their life.

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving Day here in the USA.

It’s a beautiful holiday! Jesus shows us the importance of giving thanks, and when humbly expressing gratitude, we overcome sadness, we cement relationships with each other and with God.

“Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”

Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you….”

Bottom line: By expressing gratitude we overcome sadness and cement relationships with each other — and with God.

I really appreciate this quote from — William Arthur Ward.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

Let’s take the ordinary moments and make the most of them!

 

In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ^©

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” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.

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