Being Grateful to One Another

 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,  I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. -Ephesians 1:15-16

I read a devotion this morning that talked about Newton's Third Law of Motion:  "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."  You know... like the recoil of a gun.  The author went on to say how this isn't only a law of physics, but it is an emotional and spiritual law as well.

Think about it... when we lash out in anger, we are certain to be responded to in the same way.  Negativity begets negativity.  Violence begets violence.  So why not start breaking the law?  If someone lashes out in anger at you, return kindness.  Be positive and uplifting with a negative person.  Be gentle in the face of violence... yes... even turn the other cheek.  It is not weakness, it is world-changing strength.

More than that... sow the emotion you want to receive.

Last week, my family and I were the recipients of an act of gratitude.  Richard is currently stationed at Fort Bragg in the Wounded Warriors program.  While there, he is given therapy and treatment for any injuries incurred while serving in active duty.  The Currituck community of the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina has a program to show their gratitude to Wounded Warriors and my family was a recipient of that gratitude.

We received a week in a beautiful beach resort community home... plenty of room for me, Richard our two boys, their wives and children.  And that is all we expected.  That in itself was a gift worth probably $2000-2500 or more.  We were thrilled!  What we didn't expect was all the gift baskets and gift cards from local businesses!  We had deeply discounted or free tours, gift cards for grocery stores, restaurants, movie theater, wine shop... a gift basket filled with beach needs and another filled with snacks. And each time we redeemed a coupon or a card, we were told, "thank you for your service."
 
Our reaction to all this gratitude?  Why gratitude, of course!  An equal and opposite reaction.  Serving our country was Richard's job.  But people recognized the importance of his job and reached out in gratitude.  Isn't everyone's job important in some way?  If it weren't, the need for the job wouldn't be there.  When is the last time you showed real gratitude to a teacher, pastor, police officer, fire fighter....or even a banker or a business owner or someone who works a line in a manufacturing plant?  Perhaps we thank our own pastor or our own child's teacher, but they ALL impact our communities, don't they?

What would happen if we really treated one another as though we really appreciated the job they do?  And that we really care about them as people with something to contribute?  Maybe we would get better service from the service industry.  Maybe we would get better products from the manufacturing industry.  Maybe we would get honest and ethical handling of our finances from the banking industry.  Maybe all our children would come out of schools well-prepared for life.

Criticism and blame beget defensiveness and counter blaming.  Gratitude and kindness beget loyalty and a desire to do our best work.

November... a month for gratitude... is almost here.  Make it a point to show your gratitude to someone each day of November.  Watch what happens to your life!

Father,
Thank you for all the incredible gifts we receive from your hand.  But help us to be mindful and grateful of the gifts we receive from one another each and every day.  Show us ways that we can show our gratitude.  Amen.