A Little Appreciation Goes a Long Way
I saw it on the wall in the corner of the restaurant and I couldn’t believe my eyes! I can’t believe they actually want me to do it, I thought. As I came closer and inspected the sign more carefully, I was convinced, so I did it…I rang that bell loudly and repeatedly!
I half-expected to get in trouble, due to the fact that a childhood dream of mine was to pull the fire alarm at my school, and not get in trouble, but back to the story. The moment I rang the bell, I heard the chorus of voices in perfect unison from all parts of the restaurant say “Thanks for ringing the bell, we’re glad you enjoyed your meal! Come back soon!”
The sign on the wall, right next to the front door made this invitation: “If you think we did it well, then ring the bell!”
The employees really appeared to sincerely appreciate that simple act of thankfulness and, well, appreciation.
Stop to Love
I’m sure that as another school year winds to a close, many people in your life who worked to make you successful. As we rush through our lives, many times we don’t take the opportunity to stop and properly appreciate folks with kind words gratitude.
The Apostle Paul, gave this worthy counsel to the Christians in Ephesus, located in modern-day Turkey, about learning to be unified in Jesus.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29, NIV).
In effect, what Paul was saying was that “if they have done it well, ring the bell.”
So as you make plans for the summer take several minutes to think about and thank those who helped make it a success for you. Then, say something to them—and if you really want to blow their minds, write them a hand-written note. I know that they will treasure those words for years to come.
Thinking about Thanking
To be honest with you, everyone is so focused on turning in the final projects, and finals, that sharing a kind word of gratitude tends to fall by the wayside. But it shouldn’t. In fact, Doctor Luke shared an experience that perfectly illustrates the importance of being thankful as a way of life:
“As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ He looked at them and said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God!’ He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’ And Jesus said to the man, ‘Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you’ (Luke 17:11–19, NLT).
“Above-Ground” Living
I share this story because several years ago I had a reality-shifting conversation with an elderly gentlemen at a nursing home in Atlanta where I was working. I simply asked him how he was doing. From his wheelchair, he grabbed my arm, pulled me down to his level, looked me dead in the eyes, and after what seemed like an eternity (probably only five seconds or so), quietly but firmly responded, “I’m Super Duper! Any day above ground is a great day!”
I stood up, bid him goodbye, and went on the rest of my rounds for that day.
You might think, So what! What’s the big deal? So he’s a happy guy, but what you don’t know is that he was blind, partially deaf, confined to a wheelchair because of his blindness, and he had really bad diabetes, which means he had lost both of his feet and legs to that horrible disease. On top of that, he had a bunch of numbers tattooed on one of his forearms—not because he dug skin art, but because he lived through the Jewish Holocaust of World War II and survived a Nazi death camp. This guy witnessed many of his family and friends die, and yet he could still find happiness and wonder in each day!
He would spend his days wheeling himself around his floor by the handrail on the wall and striking up cheerful conversations with anybody and everybody with whom he came into contact. This guy was the unofficial nursing home ambassador and brightened everybody’s days—including mine.
Thanksgiving in May
But here was the thing that blew me away: he (like the one leper who came back to thank Jesus) wasn’t even a Jesus follower; he wasn’t a Christian!
He knew there was a God and recognized that He created everything and that He was in charge. He just wasn’t a Christian, and he never really discussed with me his reasons why, and out of respect, I didn’t ask.
But I learned a lot from that gentlemen, and I mean that word in the truest sense; he really was a gentle-man. He was thoughtful, caring, compassionate, empathetic, full of kindness and grace toward others, and always, always, always thankful.
I was much younger back then, but I think about him especially during this season of the year, when our collective focus (at least in the United States) is upon self-focus and upon partying.
So today, I want to challenge you to take time every day (not just during November) and, from the bottom of your heart, give God thanks for everything you’ve got. Then take the next step and share actual thankfulness with someone else who has been a blessing to you. If you can’t think of anything to be thankful for, you can thank Him that you’re above the ground and not under it.
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