The Attitude of Gratitude
Be Thankful Always!
11/27/02
I. Introduction
Everybody knows what day is tomorrow- Thanksgiving Day. The day when everybody’s out of school. The day when you go to grandma’s or aunt may’s house, spend time with family and grub down on some turkey. The day when you toss the football around, or watch the parade on TV. All those things are great, but most importantly, Thanksgiving Day is the day when you GIVE THANKS! Now, personally, I think there are a couple of holidays that should last all year long, like Christmas. Everybody loves Christmas, I mean, you’re giving and getting, there’s Santa Claus and reindeer, and egg nog. Then there’s Valentine’s Day. If every couple acted the way they do on Valentine’s Day all year long, the divorce rate would probably be cut in half. Think about it, on Valentine’s Day, dad gives mom some roses and candy and little cards scattered all over the house filled with compliments of her beauty. He treats her like a queen. If mom was treated like a queen more than once a year, chances are that mom might be a little happier, and we’d be less likely to have to do huge amounts of chores because she’d be dancing around the house, whistlin’ love songs while she cleans every nook and cranny. And we wouldn’t be grossed out because our parents are in love. We’d be happy because we get to sit around and play video games instead of vacuuming the living room. Christmas and Valentine’s Day are definitely two holidays that should be yearlong. But let’s not forget the day we celebrate tomorrow-Thanksgiving. If there ever was a holiday that should be yearlong, it’s the day of giving thanks. If there ever was a day that people stop and think about the good things in their lives, it’s Thanksgiving.
Now, I’m not the only one that thinks Thanksgiving should last all year long. The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:17-20, “17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always…”
It seems to me that God thinks that Thanksgiving should last all year long as well, otherwise He wouldn’t have included it so much in His book. The word “thanks” appears in the Bible about 110 times. If He said it once, it’d be important. The fact that it appears this much, means that it could be something He wants us to get a hold on. Let’s dig into this subject of thanksgiving and find out what it means to have the attitude of gratitude.
II. It’s More Than an Action
You see, truly giving thanks is more than just an action, it’s an attitude. Remember, a couple of weeks ago I told you about the two categories that people can fall into. Those that do things because they want to, and those that do things because they have to. Well, those same categories can be used here. Tomorrow, there’ll be a lot of kids sitting around the dinner table with their parents eating. During that meal, in between whoppin’ bites of turkey and dressing, mom or dad will ask everybody to give thanks for something in their life. Well, at certain tables in this country, there’ll be some guys that don’t wanna say a word. They’re hardcore. They won’t be softened by some holiday tradition. But everybody knows that momma gets what she wants. And if momma wants everybody to say something they’re thankful for, then everybody, and I mean everybody, will say something they’re thankful for. So, it comes around to Lil’ Ruff Ruff over here, and his lips ain’t budging. He ain’t talking. And everybody’s saying, “Come on, Lil’ Ruff Ruff, there’s got to be something that you’re thankful for.” Lil’ Ruff Ruff shrugs his shoulders, then he feels the heat of his momma’s stare burning right through his cheek. He turns his head and sees the devil himself in her eyeballs. Quickly he mutters that he’s thankful for his baseball glove, and his parents. And then momma’s eyes glisten over as if all heaven had opened up for her, cuz’ momma got what she wanted. Now, Lil’ Ruff Ruff falls into the category of those that do things because they have to, and his giving thanks was an action, he did it, he gave thanks. But, truly giving thanks, truly being thankful, takes having the attitude of gratitude. Lil’ Ruff Ruff had an attitude alright, but it wasn’t an attitude of gratitude. If he was truly thankful for his baseball glove and his parents, he couldn’t have waited until his turn to speak. He would’ve been on the edge of his seat, saying, “Is it my turn, when’s it gonna be my turn? Please, can I go? What about now?” And then when it got around to him, his list of things would have been a mile long, and they would have had to tell him to stop so everybody else could talk. You see, it’s so much more than just an action. Do you see the difference between the action and the attitude? The action gives thanks because it has to. The attitude gives thanks because it wants to. And even when it’s done with the actual giving thanks, it’s still thankful for so many things!
III. IN Everything, Give Thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
A lot of folks look at this passage and get a little scared. They think they’re supposed to be thankful for everything. They say… I stepped in dog pooh walking through my yard, am I supposed to be thankful for that? I stepped in gum walking through the parking lot, am I supposed to be thankful for that? My house got rolled last night, am I supposed to be thankful for that? I’ve made 3 F’s on my report card and now I have to go back to the 2nd grade, am I supposed to be thankful for that? Well, the answer to their question is…NO. You’re not supposed to be thankful FOR those things. You’re supposed to be thankful in the MIDST of those things. Having the attitude of gratitude means that you won’t let stepping in dog poo make you dis’ God. Having the attitude of gratitude means that you won’t let the fact that your best friend was killed in a car accident make you question God’s goodness. Having the attitude of gratitude means that you won’t look at the events that plagued our nation on September 11th and turn your back on God. Having the attitude of gratitude means you won’t let any circumstance stop you from moving forward in your relationship with God. Having the attitude of gratitude means that when the enemy comes at you, it won’t put out your faith, but it will fuel your faith. When you have the attitude of gratitude, your world will completely turn upside down. Your mess will become a message. Your test will become a testimony. You’ll see things in a different light, with a different pair of shades. You won’t see the glass half empty. You won’t even see the glass half full. You’ll see the glass as running OVER!
Show clip from The Emperor’s New Groove.
Kuzco would never have found trouble if he’d shown the squirrel some gratitude. Being unappreciative sent him on a downward spiral of peril and complaints.
God’s will for you is to have the attitude of gratitude. Verse 18… “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for YOU.” If you don’t have the attitude of gratitude, you’re outside the will of God. You don’t want to be there, because in the middle of God’s will is where you should be. That’s the best place for you. If you want to be obedient to God, you’ll have the attitude of gratitude. And furthermore, having that attitude will change your outlook on life for the better. It’s not just about being obedient sometimes. It’s about going above and beyond obedience into willingness. I’m willing to have the attitude of gratitude because I know how much it’s going to affect me and the people around me. Sure, I’m in the will of God, but I know the powerful effect that having this attitude has on my life, and I want that power working for me.
IV. Why Give Thanks?
2 Corinthians 2:14 “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”
1. Because God is a God that causes you to triumph. Whatever the circumstance, be thankful because GOD will NOT LET YOU DOWN. If the enemy throws a mess at you, give thanks to God because He’s pulling you through. If the world stands in your way, give thanks to God because He makes a way where there is no way. If your teachers try to flunk you out of every class, give thanks to God because you have an unction from the Holy One and you know all things. Whatever comes your way, giving thanks to God because He always causes you to triumph. You’re always on the winning team. You always have the victory!
2. Because through your thanksgiving, others get a whiff of God. When you give thanks to God, it makes others feel good. When you don’t let your circumstance get you down, it makes people around you hopeful. When you look past your problem, it makes people around you look up. The Word says that through US he diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. That means that if we’re giving thanks always in every place, that the knowledge of God will be made known wherever we go. We ought to have the attitude of gratitude. It’s a powerful tool for evangelism. The attitude of gratitude helps you emit the cologne of Christ. I wear a cologne called Curve, and whenever anybody is around me, they can smell that cologne. If Kristen’s around, and I’m wearing something different than Curve, she says, what are you wearing? Why? Because she catches a whiff of the fragrance that I’m putting off. Well, when you give thanks to God, you’re fragrance, what other people smell, is the knowledge of God. You can lead people to God by simply having the attitude of gratitude!
V. An Attitude Adjustment
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Getting adjusted is as simple as that. God says that you can start all over right now with a clean slate. Some of ya’ll know that you haven’t had the attitude of gratitude. Some of ya’ll know that your attitude has just been rotten. It’s time for an attitude adjustment. You can exchange your attitude of bitterness, hatred, disrespect, and defeat for the attitude of gratitude right now. You don’t have to carry around the bad attitude. You don’t have to be like Lil’ Ruff Ruff. Trade in your bad attitude right now. Give it up and receive the attitude of gratitude. Let’s pray.
