We don’t just become thankful people; we need to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness. Popular culture, within the United States, often designates the month of November to celebrate and promote thankfulness. Of course, we know that November is the month of thankfulness because of Thanksgiving. Indeed, throughout November you will see and find reminders of thankfulness all around you. Social media platforms have also encouraged “movements” of thankfulness. On Facebook, during November, many people post 30-days of thankfulness.
It is a good thing to celebrate and extend thankfulness.
As we enter the holiday season, many people forget to be thankful. Have you been to a grocery store recently? If you have been to a grocery store this week, you will notice that people are not treating the employees with kindness or extending thankfulness.
Immediately after Thanksgiving, comes the Advent season. Advent is a time of waiting, a time of preparation, a time when we can adjust our focus, attitude, and behaviors. We await the arrival of Emmanuel (God with us). Although, we know that Christ has come into the world, and Christ is still coming into the world. Christ is coming into the world, in love and light, through you and me. Christ comes into the world in grocery stores. That’s right, Christ is present in your grocery store experiences, even this time of year. He is present when we extend gratefulness, thankfulness, and appreciation to store employees, who are working hard while experiencing little to no thanks. Christ is present in our Thanksgiving dinner conversations with family, and we know those conversations can turn “interesting”.
The reality is, we should give thanks this November. We should give thanks during the other 11 months too. We cultivate a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude when we practice saying thank you to others. Just saying thank you to someone this week, may be an opportunity to be light and love to another.
Try it!
This week, thank someone you know for who they are, and for how they have impacted your life. Additionally, whether at the store or somewhere else in public, thank someone for their hard work this season.
Show grace, and be grace, this holiday season
Blessings!
Pastor Matthew
Leave a Reply