Always Give Thanks!

    A Christian farmer was asked to have dinner with a well-known businessman.  Just before they ate, the farmer bowed his head and gave thanks for the food as he was always accustomed to doing.  The businessman said in a mocking way, “That is old fashioned! It is not in-vogue for well-educated people to pray before they eat.”  The farmer answered him matter-of-factly that with him it was his custom and that he would always thank God for his food.  Then he looked straight into the businessman’s eyes and said, “But there are some on my farm that will never pray before they eat.”  “Ah, then,” said the businessman, “They are the sensible and wise ones.  Who are they?”  The farmer answered, “My pigs!” 
    Our planet has more than enough water and food to sustain all life, but are we thankful?  Do we give God thanks or are we like the farmer’s pig that eats acorns under the oak tree never looking up to see where they come from?  We must remember that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). 
    We must be thankful for our health, shelter, and life. Too many people do not appreciate what they have until they lose it.  How true this reality is to those who have just lost their homes and all of their possessions in the raging California forest fires.  They are devastated with their losses. 
    A story from World War II tells of a man who stood in the street and gazed at his bomb-shattered home.  He said to his wife, “This morning someone came into the bomb-shelter and told me that we have lost everything.  That is a bold-faced lie.  Thank God, I have my health and strength to carry on with life.  I still have you, my dear, and the children.  Thank God, we are all safe.  Our enemy smashed our home but not our faith in the love and wisdom of God or our love for each another.  We still have hope for the future, we can still carry ourselves, and we can still call our souls our own.  We can pick up the pieces to rebuild bigger and better.  So I reckon that you and I ought to thank God that we have saved much more than what we lost.  Our house and property may be wrecked and ruined, but you and I can still hold on to things which can never be shaken or destroyed.” 
    Instead of falling into despair then drowning in the black waters of depression the man raised his spirit with the attitude of thanks.  There is oh such power in the attitude of gratitude.  A thief broke into the modest dwelling of Matthew Henry, the Bible scholar and stole his wallet.  He, far from being down-cast, turned to his diary and entered an amazing comment: “Let me be thankful, first, because the thief never robbed me before; second, although he took my wallet, he did not take my life; third, although he took all I possessed, it was not much; fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.”  For more info you can visit us at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com

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