Encouraging Communities
by Rod Hetzel
Early the other morning, while I was attending to the relatively mundane task of responding to email messages, I came across a message about the importance of gratitude and thankfulness in our lives. The author of the email asked an interesting question: If the Earth’s population were shrunk into a village of just 100 people, with all the human ratios existing in the world still remaining, what would this tiny, diverse village look like? He reached some profound conclusions. Of the 100 people:
57 would be Asian.
21 would be European.
14 would be from the Western Hemisphere.
8 would be African.
52 would be female.
48 would be male.
70 would be nonwhite.
30 would be white.
70 would be non-Christian.
30 would be Christian.
6 people would possess 59 percent of the entire world’s wealth.
All 6 of these people would be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing.
70 would be unable to read.
50 would suffer from malnutrition.
1 would be near death.
1 would be pregnant.
1 would have a college education.
1 would own a computer.
The author then discussed the implications of these conclusions. He noted that if you live in a good home, have plenty to eat and can read, then you are a member of a very select group. If you have a good house, food, and a computer, then you are among the very elite. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, then you are more fortunate than the million who will not live to see the end of the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, then you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend a church service without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, then you are very fortunate. More than three billion people in the world don’t have this freedom. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep, then you have more than 75% in this world. If you have money in the bank or in your wallet, or if you even have spare change in a dish someplace, then you are among the top 8% of the wealthiest people in the world.
These conclusions were startling to me and jolted me out of my early morning complacency. How often do we moan or complain about relatively insignificant problems, such as not being able to find a parking space in crowded lot or having to wait in a long line at the grocery store, while failing to give thanks for the true blessings that God has bestowed upon us. How often do we fail to adopt an attitude of gratitude?
What is the importance of gratitude in the Christian life? Gratitude has always been central among the Christian virtues. Being created by a personal and loving God, as Christians we are obligated to thank God as the source of our life. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul stated that we are to "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In fact, even in tough circumstances, we should "not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present [our] requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). Although it can be difficult during times of struggle, when we adopt an attitude of gratitude, we recognize that God is the giver of all good gifts and that we are indebted to him as our Creator and Redeemer. An attitude of gratitude not only molds and shapes our lives as Christians, but also contributes to our mental, physical, and relational well-being.
How can we cultivate an attitude of gratitude? If we take a careful look at our lives, we’ll most likely notice many small yet profound blessings for which we can be thankful. Kenneth Caine and Brian Kaufman offer some specific suggestion for growing an attitude of gratitude. First, give thanks for everyday things, perhaps things that we might take for granted such as our health, friendships, or the support of church fellowship. Second, thank God for the small surprises He gives us, such as running into an old friend or other symbols of His serendipity. Third, spend one day without some of the products, services, or activities that we take for granted, such as your television, telephone, or computer. You might even try fasting for a day to develop an appreciation for the food which God places on your table each day. Fourth, study the book of Psalms, which provides wonderful examples of the many ways that we can express our thanks to our Heavenly Father. Finally, through your prayers ask God to help you cultivate an attitude of gratitude that transcends your circumstances. We have his promise that He will answer our prayer: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15).