Not Grateful
We just got back from another great Thanksgiving get together/trip in Gatlinburg TN with my wife’s extended family. It’s always such a great time! Getting everyone together and watching all the different generations of family members hang out and reminisce about old times (and new times) is always such a fun thing to do. My mindset at Thanksgiving is always one of having so much gratitude and it culminates with having dinner together as a family.
But by the time Monday rolls around I am no longer thinking about how thankful I am but instead am thinking about getting the outside Christmas lights up… and setting up the three Christmas trees in the house… and figuring out when we will bake the cookies… and thinking about what Christmas gifts to buy and…. and… and…
My Gratitude fades quickly.
A Real Christian Businessman knows that when we get back to work on Monday everyone will be talking about the relatives they didn’t want to see at Thanksgiving dinner and the deals they were able to score when they went shopping/shopped online.
Yet how different would it be if we all talked about the things we were actually thankful for on Monday instead of the negative things that happened or the shopping that we did/didn’t get to do?
We would be playing out exactly how God wants a Real Christian Businessman to be – an example of constant gratitude.
“…I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” Ps 9:1b-2 (ESV)
I never remember to thank God like this verse says to do – but particularly on the Monday after Thanksgiving when it should be fresh on my mind – do you?!
So our challenge this week is to give thanks in a “rejoiceful“ way when we get back to work. Talk about all the good things that happened during Thanksgiving instead of bad talking our relatives or the food or whatever it is that we didn’t like.
Let’s set a different example this year!
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thes 5:18 (NIV)