Gratefulness #3 – Thanking Others

The Masai tribe in West Africa has an old custom of saying thank you. When they express thanks, they bow, put their foreheads on the ground, and say, “My head is in the dirt.”

Members of another African tribe will express gratitude to an individual by sitting for a long time in front of the hut of that person and say, “I sit on the ground before you.”

Paul wrote, “I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3).

Think about the people who have helped us:

• Our parents who brought us into this world, cared for us, worked to support the family, and sacrificed for us.

• Grandparents who enriched our lives as we grew up.

• Spiritual leaders/mentors/guides who taught, counseled, and encouraged us.

• People who prayed for us and inspired us and who gave us a living example to follow.

• Friends who were and are there for us.

• Neighbors who helped us and our families.

• Educators who taught us knowledge and skills.

• Employers who helped us succeed.

• People who have had a positive influence on our lives.

Taking time to say “thank you” to these people edifies them and changes us.

~ Pastor Dave