Don’t Keep Your Gratitude to Yourself

Scripture — Colossians 1:3-4 (NRSV)

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.

Devotion

I can’t remember when my family first began what has become for us a beloved Thanksgiving tradition. I do remember that when I was a boy, we’d gather as a family for a sumptuous dinner and a good bit of football watching. Usually, the only person who actually gave thanks during our gathering was my grandfather, who offered a prayer of thanks before we ate. But, at some point somebody in my family suggested that we take time after eating to share around the table, mentioning something for which we were thankful. At first, it felt rather awkward because my family didn’t tend to do things like this. But, in time, we not only became comfortable with our practice of shared gratitude. We also became quite fond of it.

We also witnessed things that were quite moving, even bordering on miraculous. For example, one year Linda’s grandmother joined us for the circle of thanks. She was quite old at the time and mostly blind and deaf. She rarely spoke at all. We weren’t even sure she knew what was happening as we went around the circle, each person sharing something for which we were grateful. When it was grandmother’s turn, one of us invited her to share, more out of courtesy than any expectation that she’d say something. To our amazement, she prayed an articulate, heartfelt prayer, thanking the Lord for her beloved family, for all of her gifts, and for the chance to be together on Thanksgiving Day. I’m quite sure the prayer was, by far, the most words I ever heard Linda’s grandmother speak at one time.

I think the Apostle Paul would have enthusiastically approved of our family tradition of sharing thanks. At the beginning of his letter to the Colossians, Paul tells them that he thanks God for them and why. Paul does this in most of his letters, following the letter-writing tradition of his day. But he doesn’t repeat some hackneyed, empty prayer. Rather, he tells the recipients of his letter precisely why he is thankful for them: “For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven” (Colossians 1:4-5).

Perhaps you regularly do something like this on Thanksgiving Day when you gather with family and/or friends. If not, perhaps you might consider doing something like this tomorrow. Yes, it can feel odd if you haven’t done something like this before. But, in my experience, the blessings of shared gratitude are well worth enduring the oddness.

Paul’s example in Colossians also reminds us to be sure and tell the people for whom we are grateful that we thank God for them. You might do this in person tomorrow. Or you might do it via phone, Zoom, or some other electronic medium. It is a wonderful thing to say to someone, “I am thankful for you.” And it is equally wonderful to hear this from someone.

So, let me encourage you to share your thanks with other people tomorrow. But don’t limit yourself to one day a year. Saying “Thank you” is worth doing day after day throughout the year. Yes, by all means, thank those with whom you are close, your family and friends. But don’t stop there, either. Look for other opportunities to thank people, especially those who are often taken for granted. You can make a difference in their life and give yourself a gift in the process.

I experienced this a few months ago when I was flying to speak at a conference. I noticed that the restroom in the airport was unusually clean. As I was leaving, I passed the person who was doing the cleaning. But instead of walking out of the rest room I turned back and said to the man, “Excuse me.”

He looked up with hesitation in his eyes, almost fear. I think he expected some kind of complaint. Instead, I said, “I just want to thank you for your work. You do a great job cleaning this bathroom.”

Now looking embarrassed, he said, “Oh, it’s nothing.”
I responded, “Well, actually, I really appreciate it. You made a difference in my life today.”

Still looking into his eyes, I saw tears begin to form. “You’re welcome,” he said, turning away so I wouldn’t see him cry.

I have a hunch that this man rarely receives thanks for his excellent work. I felt glad to offer my gratitude to him for his sake. But as I left that restroom, I also felt glad. I was reminded how a simple “Thank you” can touch someone’s soul. I committed myself once again to see the people who make a difference in my life – big, small, or in between – and to let them know how thankful I am for what they do and/or who they are.

I plan to do this tomorrow with my family, friends, and others. I hope you’ll join me.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Do Everything with Thanksgiving!.