The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Modeling the Magic Words
A few years ago I bought a really nice outdoor barbecue grill for my husband’s Christmas gift. It was the best gift I could ever have given myself. Since then he has voluntarily done most of the cooking for us. It’s been lovely for me and early on I learned to thank him each time, even when there was too much garlic or spice added to the dishes. As I was thanking him for the meal he had prepared the other night, I thought about our shared habit of being thankful.
Culturally we teach our children the magic words, please and thank you, from a very young age. However, it is not a one-time lesson, but an on-going and consistent instruction of reminding and modeling throughout their tenure in our care. And yet, how often do we use the magic words and display gratitude to those closest to us, our husbands or wives, God? Once our children leave home, do we continue to use those magic words, even though little ears are not listening to us any longer?
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Being thankful to God is a mandate of God’s will. The term “everything” means just that: being thankful for the little things, the big things, and the circumstances we don’t like.
My husband and I have been married forty-three years now. Something we learned a long time ago is that gratitude makes our relationship a lot easier. When we frequently express gratitude for even the smallest favor or assistance we do for each other, four things happen: trust increases, feelings of under-appreciation have no foothold to undermine our love for one another, self-esteem is enhanced, and we tend to do even more for the other knowing that the loving tasks of our everyday lives are appreciated. This is also the case with gratitude in our relationship with God: trust increases, our position and calling in Christ is clearly understood, and our desire to please Him expands.
While shopping a few days ago, I struggled with thanking God when an item I was looking for was out of stock. When I asked the cashier about it, I was told that it was on order and would be there the next day. Isn’t it strange that we so often don’t thank God in minor frustrating moments like that? It’s as if we expect and pray for the big things in our lives, but we forget that God is also interested in the little things!
Not happy about the interruption to my busy day, I returned to the store the next day to find the item. But God knew that I needed to be there for His purposes. God used me to encourage and pray for a friend who “just happened” to be in the store on that second day. In using me as a blessing to someone even though I grumbled about that second trip, God gave me a lesson about thanking Him even for frustrating moments.
