In my daily reading material I hear a lot about gratitude lately. People have even studied it scientifically, observing the positive effect of thankfulness on the biochemistry of the brain. Added to all the anecdotal evidence, it’s an easy sell to say that it’s good for humans to be appreciative.
Recently I read an interview of author Seth Godin, who addressed the issue of gratitude with a new twist. How do we approach our daily tasks? Is it a question of what we have to do, or what we “get” to do?
You’d think that this is a luxury accorded only to people who really like their jobs, but I’d ask how many of even those people still feel a sense of entitlement around that privilege. How many simply say to themselves, “I ‘get’ to do this work because I’m smart, or talented, or I worked hard …” – in other words, because they’re better than others?
What makes it possible for us to look at our lives with a sense of delight that we “get” to wake up each morning and live out whatever the day calls for? How can we feel grateful even for trials and difficulties?
I’m not saying that people who don’t believe in God can’t feel thankful. But recognizing the role God plays in our opportunities in life definitely leads us towards the humility that makes thankfulness flow more naturally.
Faith prompts us to view our talents – even those we have labored to hone – as blessings imbued with accountability. Jesus intones: “Great gifts mean great responsibilities” (Luke 12:48 The Message). It’s never a matter of downplaying our skills – that would be “false” humility. Rather it’s a mindfulness of the required stewardship attached to the “sober assessment” of our abilities.
Unfortunately, too many of us “know” all this in our heads, but the weight of our “crosses” – our daily burdens, confusions and frustrations – hamper our living into the gratitude it calls out in us.
Let’s find joy in what we still “get” to do. Despite whatever woes bedevil us (and I’m not diminishing the reality of that pain) we are still able to be a blessing to others, and to receive the blessings of others’ care.
After all, isn’t it amazing that we “get” to love one another?
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