An Attitude Of Gratitude

I am really content — until I start looking through the Sears catalogue. I liked my car — until I saw the new P T Cruiser. I am satisfied with my clothes — until I stroll through American Eagle, or the other Mall stores. I love our home — until I think of what it would be like to own a log cabin on the shore of some remote lake. I am satisfied with every area of my life — until I start comparing with someone else’s life. I feel like I have enough of everything — until I see someone who has more.

Jesus told a wonderful story about some workers. It goes like this: The owner of a vineyard went out early in the morning to hire workers. Then he hired others in the afternoon, and still more in the evening. Each group originally agreed to a set wage. Then the Bible says, “So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’” (Matthew 20:8-15). The workers who went out in the morning were pleased to work for a denarius, the standard wage for a day’s work, but when they started comparing their wage to others they felt cheated and were filled with resentment. Comparisons breed envious thoughts, jealous hearts and grudging dispositions; they take the joy out of life.

A few years ago, a new book reached the #1 spot on the New York Times best-seller list. The book’s title was: Final Exit, by Derek Humphry, the director of the national Hemlock Society. It gives detailed instructions on a variety of ways to commit suicide. When a book is written about how to end your life, and it ends up on the best-seller list, you get the impression that there is something wrong out there — not much contentment or joy. All of this in the wealthiest land in all the world, with more privileges, freedoms and possibilities than anywhere else, at any time. It speaks of how much we take for granted, and how much ingratitude has poisoned our hearts. People have piled things on top of their pain, and found that they make poor anesthetics. Under all the luxury we are still more unhappy than many of those who live in abject poverty. Is there any more telling evidence that we are a people desperately in need of God? Can anyone come up with a more plausible explanation? We have denied ourselves nothing — except a relationship with our Creator.

The third point we need to awaken to is: An attitude of gratitude stimulates sharing. Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a young attorney in New York who was single. Every year at Thanksgiving the senior partner of the firm would buy everyone a fresh turkey for their Thanksgiving dinner. The young man never knew what to do with his turkey, since he did not have a family, but every year he accepted it graciously. That night, as he rode the subway home, he wondered what to do with the large prize sitting in his lap. He didn’t know how to cook it, and his family lived in another state. As he traveled home that night, a disheveled and discouraged looking stranger sat beside him on the subway. They began to talk, and the attorney learned that the man had spent the whole day looking for a job, but without luck. He had a large family, and was concerned about what he would do for Thanksgiving. The attorney was thrilled to find someone who could use the bird that had been given to him. He did not want the man to feel like a charity case so he said to him, “How much money do you have?” He said, “Only a couple of dollars and a few cents.” “Sold,” exclaimed the attorney and placed the turkey in his lap. The man was moved to tears and thanked him over and over again, delighted that his family could have a good Thanksgiving with such a fine bird, and at such a good price.