Recently,
I came across an interesting and hilarious article entitled, “Dog vs. Cat: War
of the Dairies.” First, let’s take a peek at the dog’s diary. 8:00 am - Dog
food! My favorite!
9:30
am - A car ride! My favorite! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite! 10:30
am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite! 12:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite!
1:00
pm - Played in the yard! My favorite! 5:00 pm - Dinner! My favorite!
7:00
pm - Got to play ball! My favorite! 8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people!
My favorite! 10:00 pm – Sleeping at the foot of my master’s bed! My favorite!
And
now an excerpt from dairy of a cat: “Day 983 of my captivity. My captors
continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly
on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry
nuggets. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an
attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated
a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would
strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities.
Today I was
almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving
around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the
top of the stairs.”
Two
totally different perspectives of living under the roof of the same master. One
grateful, the other grumpy; one contented, the other conniving. Which attitude
best describes your heart today? What was the main difference? I would submit
to you that it was the elusive trait of thanksgiving. Yet, when we examine
God’s family, we too can see the same dichotomy. Believers under the rule of
the same benevolent Master, and some are thankful while others are perpetually
negative.
Jesus
witnessed the same thing one day on the road between Samaria and Galilee, when
he was approached by ten lepers. Imagine this huddle of half-draped faces and
broken bodies before Him. Their gruesome appearance and gnarled digitals
repulsed everyone. Society quarantined them. Yet, Jesus had compassion on them.
He spoke the word and healed all ten of them. Then Luke records what happened
next:
“And
as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was
healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at
Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered,
“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give
praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:14-18)
Don’t
miss the headline of the story. Jesus notices and delights in a grateful heart.
In fact, He was stunned by the ingratitude of the other nine. We also learn
that thankfulness in a choice. It’s a decision that we make each day to either
focus on what we don’t have or acknowledge that great blessings we have already
been given.
As
Max Lucado has written, “The grateful heart is like a magnet sweeping over the
day, collecting reasons for gratitude. A zillion diamonds sparkle against the
velvet of your sky every night. Thank you, God. A miracle of muscles enables
your eyes to read these words and your brain to process them. Thank you, God.
Your lungs inhale and exhale eleven thousand liters of air every day. Your
heart will beat about three billion times in your lifetime. Your brain is a
veritable electric generator of power. Thank you, God. For
the jam on our toast and the milk on our cereal. For the blanket that calms us
and the joke that delights us and the warm sun that reminds us of God’s love.
For the thousands of planes that did not crash today. Thank you, God.”[1]
[1]
Max Lucado, “An Attitude of Gratitude,” 8 October 2013 <http://www.faithgateway.com/attitude-gratitude/#.VkIN5PmrSM8>
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