“…..And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” – Colossians 4:2, NASB

I don’t think I’ve met someone as thankful as my mother (RIP). 

The lady would give thanks (and loudly), even for the smallest of gifts, to the extent that the giver would feel a little embarrassed.

And she would always use every opportunity to keep mentioning it afterwards, sometimes months later! No wonder she was always receiving.

We all love to be appreciated, right?  We feel offended, even shocked, when someone cannot even say a simple ‘thank you!’  

As a matter of fact, every good parent teaches a child to ‘say thank you’ as soon as the baby starts to talk. 

Being thankful is therefore widely seen as a token of proper upbringing and being civilised. 

The Bible, especially the Book of Psalms, is full of references to thanksgiving and gratitude. 

Are you so obsessed with a sense of entitlement that even saying a simple ‘thank you’ is a bother? Better work on your attitude!

“Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever,” it keeps saying.

That implies that gratitude is the most appropriate response to the character of God.

In our meditation verse today, we note that thanksgiving is being described as an ‘attitude.’

Think about it; gratefulness is a philosophy, a way of life that someone chooses. 

I’ve kept trying to find out what the opposite of ‘gratitude’ would be. I think it is ‘entitlement.’

People struggle to be thankful because they have a sense of entitlement; we simply take people for granted.

I mean, if I think that what you’ve done is something that you’re supposed to do for me, why should I say ‘thank you’?

The Bible says that “in the last days perilous times shall come…and people will be unthankful” (2 Tim. 3:1-2).  

That points to a situation whereby people do have a deadly sense of entitlement.

That’s why gratefulness/ingratitude is an attitude issue. 

So we’re admonished to give thanks “in every circumstance” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), however hard and nonsensical it might be.

The verse says; “And be thankful,” which implies that it is within your power to do it.

There is more for us to thank God for than to complain about. That’s what the birds do every morning!

So, how would you rate yourself on the Gratitude Scale?

Are you so obsessed with a sense of entitlement that even saying a simple ‘thank you’ is a bother?

Better work on your attitude!

Regardless of what is going on around us, may we make this a season for gratitude to God, to family, to colleagues, to friends and to every stranger who crosses our path with a service, kind gesture, token or gift.

May we continually soak our prayers in gratitude (Col. 4:2).

It’s an attitude issue; never forget that!  

Prayer:

Almighty God, I give you thanks because You are good and Your mercy endures forever! Cultivate in me an attitude of gratitude and give me a grateful heart that I may always glorify Your Name, Amen!