Saying Thanks
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Topics: Gratitude

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season 
we shall reap, if we faint not." - Galatians 6:9

It kind of hurt my feelings.

Just yesterday, my mother told me of a young single 
mother of three small children who was in need of some 
dishes for the kitchen of her trailer house. 

Quickly, I gathered some items to give to the young 
mother. And I didn't grab up all of our odds and end 
pieces either. I gave her a nice set of beautiful dishes 
adorned in a floral pattern.

She didn't even say, "Thank you."

And, then, there is my Sunday school class. I study for 
hours each week preparing lessons to share with them. I 
write my own original lessons and it takes a lot of work.

With the exception of my Pastor's wife...

...none of them ever say, "Thank you."

What about the four separate times during the past 
month that I drove the hour drive to a couple's home to 
help them repair their computer? I didn't charge them...I 
just wanted to help them out. Yep. You guessed it...

...neither of them said, "Thank you."

As I sat here this morning, kind of discouraged at how 
little people seem to appreciate the nice and thoughtful 
things we do, the amount of time and hard work we put 
into helping others out, I began to think aloud...

"God, why doesn't anyone care that I really make an 
effort to help out? No one notices or appreciates what I 
do. Why should I bother? No one ever says, 'Thank you.'"

These were rhetorical questions...I wasn't really looking 
for any answers. And I certainly wasn't expecting to hear 
what I heard as God whispered to my heart...

"I care, son. I notice and appreciate all that you do. 
Don't grow weary, my child. You are ministering to others 
and I am using you to draw people to my Kingdom."

And, my sweet and precious Lord went on to say 
something that no one else said...

..."Thank you, son. Thank you for being faithful to Me. 
Thank you for giving of yourself for others. I'm very proud 
of you....

...Thank you."

My friend, that's where it's at. We don't do "good 
deeds" to win the applause of others. We do them to hear 
the Father say, "Well done." We don't pour out ourselves 
so that we can get a pat on the back, a heart-touching 
smile and a "Thank you" from those that we help. We do 
these things to please our God and to make Him proud to 
call us one of His children.

Maybe this morning you feel unappreciated. Maybe 
you teach Sunday school, clean the church, help out with 
young people or volunteer at the soup kitchen...and no 
one seems to notice. Or, perhaps you do a multitude of 
"good deeds" around the home, at the office or in your 
neighborhood and community...and no one seems to care. 
Have you committed some "act of mercy" this week that 
didn't even draw a "Thank you?"

Don't be discouraged, my friend. Don't grow weary in 
well doing. Instead, lift your heart to Jesus and hear Him 
say...

..."I notice and appreciate all that you do. Thank you, 
child. Thank you for being faithful to Me. Thank you for 
giving of yourself for others. I'm very proud of you....

...Thank you."

Have a "Wonderful DAY in Christ,"
Jimmy D. Brown