Face-To-Face Appreciation
I rush on with my busy life without stopping to show my gratitude.
Reference: “Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.” Exodus 15:20 NIV
Explore: Our three year old loves to have his face painted. The time that I see him most patient is when he is waiting in line to have some superhero painted on his face.
One time we waited over two hours for his turn. My husband and I were almost pulling our hair out with frustration whereas our three year old was sitting with anticipation the whole time.
The funny thing is, he is so shy around strangers that once the artist has finished their work and shown him how fabulous he looks, he just stares back at them blankly. My husband and I will gush over how good he looks and what a great job the painter has done, but our three year old will be dead pan.
Once we are home he’ll become very animated, running around in character and admiring himself in the mirror. I wish it was then that the artist could see how much joy their artwork has brought.
Application: While I’m much more socially appropriate than our three year old, there are times when I, too, forget to be thankful and appreciative of someone else’s work. I rush on with my busy life without stopping to show my gratitude.
When God freed the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt, they stopped on the other side of the Red Sea and thanked God. They picked up instruments and sang songs of praise to Him.
Now, in most situations it would be weird if we sang our gratitude, but a word of appreciation never goes astray.
Even if the job is not huge or the person has been paid, saying ‘thank you’ can make someone feel really good about themselves.
May we never take for granted the things people do for us. May we be people of great gratitude to build up those around us.
Prayer: Lord, each day there are people who come into our lives who help and assist us. No matter how small the task, may we be people who share positive appreciation with those who contribute into our lives. Amen.
Who can you thank today?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.