Today’s Thanksgiving memory takes me back over 40 years. Our oldest daughter was not quite a year old. We had gone to the grocery store to get the things we needed for our Thanksgiving dinner.
She was in the grocery cart, smiling at the grandparent-type people passing by. One older man was startled when she reached out to touch his hand. He scowled at her and made a grumpy comment. Her face puckered and she was on the verge of tears when an older woman and her husband stepped up. They told her how pretty she was, and the smile returned to her face.
May I say here that not everyone is happy about Thanksgiving. Theirs is a different perspective.
Maybe it’s there first year to be alone; no family will be around their table or maybe their spouse is ill. It could be they are just grumpy.
Today we’re going to look at thankfulness in another way – how do we treat the unthankful? I’m glad you asked. Jesus gave this instruction to his disciples.
“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:35-38 NLT
Jesus’ instruction was clear – we are to be an example of God to those we deal with each day. We were all sinners by nature but Jesus freely gave His life so that we could have eternal life and be brought into right relationship with God the Father. He gave freely and so should we.
Look at the second phrase in today’s verses, lend without expecting to get anything back. What have we lent, our time, friendship, our assistance, tools, car, money, our love, our compassion, our attention and genuine interest? When we lend without expecting to get things back then we’ve really made them a gift and in giving we’re an example of our heavenly Father.
Let’s look for an opportunity to give to someone who is by nature unthankful. Maybe they were raised to be skeptical and feel that anytime someone gave something there was a hidden agenda.
Give today, genuinely give. Give because God has given freely to us. Who knows, we may be the one God is using to bring out an attitude of gratitude.
Love it!! Sometimes it seems like maybe we give or do too much. Thank you for the reminder that when we do it in love, we do it for His glory. Love you.
You and your family are such giving people, the Father uses you mightily.