I couldn’t help being a little perturbed.
We’d spent hundreds of dollars on Christmas gifts, mainly for family—and a good amount on the grandchildren I inherited when I married my second husband after we’d both been widowed. Within five minutes, it seemed the packages had all been ripped open by the receivers without thinking about their giver. Then, on to the next one.
Choosing my words carefully, I asked my husband later, “Does it bother you that the kids don’t say ‘thank you’?”
“Did you do it for the thank-you?” he asked.
“Well, no,” I replied, “but I want to teach them thankfulness.”
I love the children and will gladly give from my heart, but the thankless attitude of this day and age grieves me. The situation reminded me of the Ten Lepers. They asked Jesus to cleanse them. He told them to show themselves to the priest. As they went, they were healed. But only one of them returned to thank Jesus. Jesus wanted to know where the other nine were. To the one who returned, Jesus told him his faith had healed him.
During that time, leprosy had no cure, and those who contracted it were ostracized and left to die. For an example closer to home, imagine in our current culture having AIDS, cancer, or even COVID with all the symptoms, discomfort, and sometimes stigma. Then imagine being healed from the disease’s torment but not bothering to thank the one who made us whole.
In everything we do, we are encouraged to say thanks. Believers, of all people, should be grateful—not just for the big things but for the small ones too.
How can you do a better job of saying thanks?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and GingerQuip.)
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Writing has been Darlene’s passion since childhood, but as life (including a full-time job) and other priorities bullied their way, writing was forced to take a back seat in her life. Attending Cascade Christian Writers’ conferences has given her a giant BOOST for jumping back into the front seat of the writing world. She primarily writes inspirational romance and mystery but very much enjoys interviews as well. In 2023, Winged Publications published four of her fiction books, which are available on Amazon. She is currently working on memoirs for ABWE missionaries and is very happy to be a part of the Christian Devotions family.