Thankfulness for Small Gifts

In Life Together, Dietrich Bonheoffer wrote, “Thankfulness works in the Christian community as it usually does in the Christian life. Only those who give thanks for little things receive the great things as well. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts prepared for us because we do not give thanks for the daily gifts. We think we should not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must be constantly seeking the great gifts . . .. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the small (and yet really not so small!) gifts we receive daily. How can God entrust great things to those who will not gratefully receive the little things from his hand?”

What “little things” should we be thankful to God for? I think of three gifts that are “really not so small!” Scotty Ford-Jones gave a powerful, honest testimony on Sunday, May 29 telling us how God has used New Hope and changed him from angry to loving. Two couples have joined us in the last three weeks. B.J. and Fred Zercher live in Summer Trees. They come to us with great appreciation for our ministry and a desire to continue to grow spiritually. John and Bonnie Roberts drive from Holly Hill to be with us. They were members of New Hope in our earliest days and remember with thankfulness the care they received from our church during their grief over losing one of their sons.

It feels like summer because wildfires are breaking out, hurricane season is being discussed, snowbirds have gone north, and our offerings are down.

This is a plea from your pastor. Remember your church when you pay your bills. Remember your church when you look into your wallet. God has given you this church. Lives are being changed by God’s grace through your church. Love your church. Help your church do its work by supporting it with ten percent of your income. Give what you can and give it consistently. Give with thankfulness for the small things you receive every day. God will entrust great things to us as we gratefully receive little things from his hand.

Choose Joy

I was using a weed eater in our back yard. At one point--as I attempted to turn my body while backing away from the area I was cutting I tripped over a root and fell flat. Humiliated, I actually yelled at the roots for tripping me. Imagine, yelling at roots for simply being what they are. In that moment, I forgot roots don't reach out to ensnare me or trip me. They just grow in the ground to bring nutrition to the trunk and leaves of the trees.

Similarly, life does not intend to make problems for us. Life just IS, and we choose how to respond to--or proactively interact with--any element of it. This is more obvious with roots, but it's still true with people, who often appear to be doing things to us. But they're not. They're just being themselves, and on occasion we happen to get close enough to feel the effects of their choices, much as I discovered the effects of roots only as I chose to clear the ground with them all around me.

The people and things around us just ARE. It's not personal. We then have the power--the privilege, really--to choose who we shall be. Will we be irritated and miserable? Will we try to change the people and things around us, which never works in the long run? Or will we choose to be loving and happy? It really is our choice.

Our Calling Is to Bless

God provides blessings through many human channels of His love. Find ways each day to be aware of how much you need your brothers and sisters. Receive and give nurture, support, and love.

The Bible challenges us to bless even those who insult us. "All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing"(1 Peter 3:8-9 NIV).

As I read those words I think about how hard it can be even within the church to not repay insult with insult. But that is our calling. As the Message puts it, "No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing."