Being thankful

Be thankful.

That was just the footnote at the end of one of many "sermons" the aposte Paul was preaching in his letter to the Colossians.

As I was discussing scripture with my students today, those words jumped out at me. Of course these are words that are anything but scarce in scripture. Paul himself says it over and over. But today, in the midst of discussion on a whole other passage, here those words slipped in again. The footnote. He just had to throw that in. But why?

People have varying levels of appreciation. Typically, we are more thankful for that which we do not think we deserve than for that which we feel we are entitled to. The problem for many is the feeling of being entitled to much. And from there, thinking becomes more askew and thankfulness becomes nonexistent. But Paul isn't telling us to be thankful for only some things. Actually, he says "In all things, be thankful".

We can say we are thankful for the "good" and the "bad", yet our words and our actions reflect our hearts. If we are so thankful to God, why do we complain so much?? If we are so thankful, why is it that our actions are much less than Godly? If we are thankful, our lives will reflect it.

Thankfulness is a matter of appreciation, and none of us can claim we have nothing to appreciate. If we feel as such, we do not know the Most High God. If we know Him, we know how insignificant we are in and of ourselves, yet how significant we are in His sight.. significant enough that He would send His Son to die for us.

Are you thankful enough today to take a stand for the people of Somalia? Are you willing to fight the spiritual battle on Your knees for the many lost and dying? Are you willing to take a moment out of your day to consider the Somali church---not a building (there is not one) but a people.. people who are willing to take a stand for God--because they truly are thankful.