PASTOR’S CORNER, Mark Cress, First Southern Baptist Church, Liberal
G.K. Chesterton said, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
I was talking with a man once who shared a story with me about his neighbor who had gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve him while he was laid up after a surgery. After hearing the story I made a comment about how grateful he must have been to have the help of his neighbor. The man responded to that comment by saying, “Yeah, I probably should have said something to express my gratitude. Oh well, I’m sure he knows my heart”.
Sometimes we say crazy things… “I’m sure he knows my heart”? My wife tells me I’m too literal, but every time I hear someone say that, I can’t help but wonder (sometimes out loud) if the person they’re talking about is a cardiologist. I’m all for believing the best about others, but in all reality, how can anyone really know your heart unless you take the time to express what’s on your heart?
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is a lot like wrapping a gift and never giving it – what’s the point? If faith without works is dead (James 2:14-17), so is gratitude without expression. So what follows is an attempt to help all of us graduate in gratitude.
In Luke 17:11-19, there are ten lepers who called out to Jesus to be healed. Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priest (the Levitical Jewish custom was that a priest would be the one to pronounce you clean/healed), and as they went each one of them were healed. However, as the story goes, only one of the ten came back to give thanks and praise to Jesus for the healing.
Elementary level gratitude is simply saying, “Thank you for the _____”. And yet, as simple and basic as these words are, sometimes we fail to even reach the entry level of gratitude. In Luke 17, only 10% reached this very basic level of gratitude. It’s important to note that one of the first marks of rejecting God is simply forgetting to thank Him (Romans 1:21).
In Psalm 59, David is on the run for his life. King Saul is jealous of David’s fame and obvious favor from God. At this point in Saul’s pursuit of David, he has posted spies outside David’s home in an attempt to catch David and kill him. Despite these less than ideal circumstances, David expresses gratitude to God: “16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. 17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.” Psalm 59:16-17
Secondary level gratitude is the ability to look at a less than favorable situation and say, “Thank you even though _____”. Gratitude at this level has to do with recognizing God’s presence in the midst of circumstances you would have never asked for.
In Philippians 1, Paul, jailed in Rome, writes to a church he began in Philippi, and acknowledges that there are people who are trying to stir up trouble for him – even while he’s imprisoned. As if prison in Rome wasn’t enough, Paul claims that there were people who were preaching about Jesus out of selfish ambition, just worsen his outlook with his Roman captors. His response is epic: “18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:18-21.
Graduate level gratitude is the ability to look at bad circumstances, the wrong motives of others, and say, “Thank you because of ____”. Did you catch that? Paul is essentially saying thank you to God because of the people who are stirring up trouble for him. Because of their efforts (motives aside) the Gospel is advancing and Jesus is exalted! It seems to me that Paul was able to give thanks in these circumstances because he was acutely aware of his purpose in Christ Jesus. Are you?
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus 1Thessalonians 5:18
