Gratitude is all about comparisons. Our level of thanksgiving is determined by that which we choose to compare our lives to.
I was so grateful, so perfectly
content with my Blackberry for years. In
fact, MORE than content, I was happy, I was PROUD of my Blackberry. Why?
Because I was comparing it with what I was not able to do with my old
phone and handheld portable device. My
gratitude came from choosing to compare what I had with what I formerly did not
have. I was living a thankful phone
life.
Until last May when my
oldest son, Andrew, was in town shortly after exchanging his Blackberry for an
iPhone and started this:
“Dad, let me show you how
to get directions real quick… Oh, I forgot you have a Blackberry instead of an iPhone. You really need to exchange that
dinosaur.”
“Dad, let me give you
some pictures… Oh, I forgot you have a Blackberry
instead of an iPhone. You really need to
exchange that dinosaur.”
“Dad, here’s a free app that
will make your life so much easier… Oh, I forgot you have a Blackberry instead of an
iPhone. You really need to exchange that
dinosaur.”
Then I visited my younger
son in Seattle recently, who recently exchanged his phone for an iPhone. We would both start to look something up and
while my phone is still searching he is showing me the results. He had an app for the bus routes of Seattle
that got us around our sightseeing tour safely - you guessed it - that is not
even AVAILABLE to my Blackberry. Chadd
is gentler than Andrew but still made it clear that I am still pre-historic,
“Dad, you really need to exchange that thing for an iPhone.” (Children can be so, um, what would you say, sarcastic.)
All because of my sons, I’m
no longer grateful for my Blackberry. I
am now comparing it with all the things I cannot do instead of all that I can
do. In a few short months I’ve gone from
happiness to counting the days until my contract is up; from contentment to
frustration; from pride to embarrassment.
Do you live a life of
gratitude? Depends on what you are
comparing yourself to. Phones are trivial
but life is quite important. Thanksgiving
holiday invites us to give thanks; God ratchets it way up when He COMMANDS us
to be thankful ALWAYS.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in
all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
In ALL CIRCUMSTANCES,
regardless of what we have or don’t have.
For Christ followers, this is not an option. So how?
By changing our point of comparison, moving it from what we don’t have
to how much we have; from comparing it with what others have to how much we
have compared to the rest of the world. A
family of 4 living at the poverty level in the US is in the top 10% of the
wealthiest people in the world. If your
income is $40,000 you are in the top 3% of the world. And if you make $50,000 you are in the TOP
ONE PERCENT. Of all people, we in this
country have so very much to be thankful for. (http://www.globalrichlist.com/)
Let’s go one step
further. The best point of comparison
that leads to deep gratitude is this: What do we deserve? When we believe we deserve more than we have;
when we believe it is our right to have the newest, latest, best, biggest we will
always be unhappy. What does God say we
deserve? Nothing. No, that’s not quite right. God actually tells us all we deserve is death
and Hell. When I fully embrace that,
EVERYTHING I have is a bonus - and I will be extremely grateful.
When you sit at your
Thanksgiving dinner table, to what will you compare yourself? Your level of thanksgiving will be determined
by that choice. When I take a good look
at Hell, I am extremely grateful for my wimpy Blackberry.
Boldly, Herb
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