A Foundation of Gratitude
As a nation, we have just wrapped up our celebrations of Christmas, and I am curious. How many thank you notes did you send? How many expressions of gratitude did you give? Perhaps another way to look at it would be to consider how many expressions of gratitude did you receive? Thank you is a part of vocabulary 101 in virtually every language around the world. When my boys were young, we taught them sign language for key phrases and words before they could speak, and thank you was one of the phrases that we taught them. I have friends who are currently using sign language with their toddlers, and thank you is also one of the foundational expressions they are using with their children. It is clear that we, as a nation, value the idea of gratitude and the concept of thankfulness. This is evidenced in the fact that we teach it to our children before verbal language is possible, but there is a world of difference between being able to communicate “thank you” and actually having a thankful heart.
Where does gratitude rank on your list of Christian virtues?
As Christians, we get excited about many things: mountain-moving faith, miraculous healings done in the name of Jesus, second-mile self-denial, radical obedience, martyrs dying for the sake of Christ, persevering faith under pressure, and sacrificially giving of oneself, to name a few. We get excited about these things because they are difficult to do, and they have tangible and visible evidence of a greater power at work within the person who is able to endure such an event. They somehow seem “greater” than this idea of gratitude and loftier or even more significant in their position of Christian virtues. For many of us, gratitude has become optional; a supersize option that we can add to our faith on the days it is convenient for us—kind of like ordering fries at our favorite fast-food restaurant.
What if I were to tell you that this issue of gratitude is far more significant than its supersize reputation would suggest? It’s not your add-on but rather, it is the main course. Gratitude lays the foundation that all other virtues are built upon. Try, for example, to sustain radical obedience without gratitude. You would eventually forget the whole reason you were submitting to the will of God and give up, feeling bitter and angry. Obedience comes as a result of a heart that is overwhelmed by gratitude for what Christ has done for us at the cross.
Only one who has a heart of gratitude can submit one’s life to the Lordship and authority of Christ.
Try being a person who exudes love without gratitude, and over time that love will crash hard on the reality of disillusionment and disappointment.
Try being a person who sacrificially gives of yourself without the offering being accompanied by gratitude, and you will find every ounce of joy drained by a martyr complex.
Gratitude is the precursor for all other virtues. It is the foundation that Christ uses to build our character by infusing joy and resilience into the struggle of our daily life.
As you evaluate your personal life, where are you lacking in gratitude? What virtues are struggling to shine through because of some cracks in your foundation? How might God want you to respond?
It is not too late to express gratitude to a friend, a family member, or a neighbor for an act of kindness that was received over the holiday season. It is never too late to express gratitude to God for his continued kindness toward us. I encourage you to spend some time over the next two weeks repairing your foundation of gratitude.
Joyfully and expectantly,
Heather