Throwing Inkwells
The Parent of All Virtues
We have trouble being grateful because we fail to acknowledge our sinfulness and debt. Isn't that why we complain about every slight from family or friends?
The truth is that we have so many things to be thankful for, including family, home, work, play, food, drink, and everything else that goes into daily life. But the God who provides these things has given us an even better gift: himself.
God has revealed himself to us, giving us his Word, granting us faith and the Holy Spirit, hearing our prayers, and forgiving our sins. So, rejoice and receive the gifts of God, confessing him and his goodness. Or, as the psalmist says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Copyright © 2010 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
CT has a special section on Thanksgiving.
Previous columns by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway include:
Faith Unbound | Why spirituality is sexy but religion is not. (September 20, 2010)
Vainly Naming the Name | Cussing isn't our only problem—though that's bad enough. (July 21, 2010)
Same Sex, Different Marriage | Many of those who want marriage equality do not want fidelity. (May 10, 2010)
Throwing Inkwells
Mollie Ziegler Hemingway
Mollie Ziegler Hemingway is a contributor to GetReligion.org, an editor at Ricochet.com, and a frequent writer for Christianity Today and a number of other outlets. A committed Lutheran, her column ran from 2009 to 2011.
- In Praise of Confidence
- Flunking Pew's Pop Quiz
- Faith Unbound
- Same Sex, Different Marriage
- Is Cosmetic Surgery Immoral?
Grieving with the Good Friday God
La complejidad hispana: Todo cambió en el 2012
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Margaret C
The parent of all virtues is love.
Eric Stedfeld
Great article - I recently became aware of the power of thankfulness in one's life, and created a website devoted to give thanks, say thank you, experience thankfulness and gratitude, and find resources and inspiration to help become more thankful at http://thanks-given.blogspot.com/
grateful believer
What a wonderful article this is! I really think this is the best I've ever read here. The story of Christ Jesus and Simon the Pharisee is very special to me, as the Lord has taught me so much through it. When Jesus told Simon, "He who has been forgiven much, loves much", I felt He was pointing out to Simon his own need of forgiveness, his lack of love for Jesus and others too. Unfortunately, Simon was so focused on the sin of the prostitute (though she was clearly repentant of her sin), he could not see his own. I believe this, and other scriptures, show us that the most dangerous sin is sin hidden in the heart (like pride), for it is so easy to ignore it, whereas outward sins, which are evident to others, cannot be ignored. In another scripture we see that Jesus healed 10 lepers, but only ONE was grateful; only that one returned to THANK HIM for healing him. And the scripture tells us that leper was made WHOLE; he was not only healed physically, but in spirit and soul as well.