The Christian Grace of Thankfulness (Colossians 3:15)

Richard Allen Bodey

How would you describe the Christian life?

The New Testament describes it in many ways and under a rich variety of figures. It is, for example, a race: a long and arduous contest, like an Olympic marathon, that demands all of our energies and requires great powers of endurance if we are to reach the goal and win the victor's crown.

It is a spiritual warfare: a fierce, unrelenting battle with the forces of evil that seek to destroy us. It is a crucifixion and resurrection, a death to sin and self and a supernatural rebirth to eternal life in God. It is a discipleship: a rigorous process of training and growth in Christlikeness of character. It is, again, a stewardship: a responsible management of all our powers and abilities, our time, our money, and our opportunities for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom on earth.

But it is something else. The Christian life is a song of thanksgiving, a glad and joyous hymn of praise to God. "Be thankful," Paul admonished the believers at Colossae in our text. "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you," he counseled the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 5:18).

In his Letter to the Ephesians, he told his readers to "be filled with the (Holy) Spirit" (Eph. 5:18). Then he proceeded at once to indicate that a prominent mark of the Spirit-filled life is thanksgiving "always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" (Eph. 5:20). A Christian should be thankful.

The Call to Thankfulness

We all like to be thanked. When we give a gift to someone, when we help another person, when we perform an act of kindness for a fellow human being, we expect some expression of appreciation. Our generosity or service may not be consciously motivated by any desire for recognition. Our action may be prompted primarily by our love, or our compassion, or our genuine concern for the other person's happiness. But if there is little or no evidence of gratitude, we are hurt and offended, and at times grow indignant.

Some years ago my wife and I received an unexpected gift of two hundred dollars a few days before Christmas. We decided to share our good fortune with a needy family. We contacted a social agency and got the name of a couple in their sixties, who, because of tragic circumstances, were raising four grandchildren. The couple was in poor health, burdened with heavy medical expenses, and the husband was unable to work. Even their kitchen stove had burned out on them. They had nothing for the children for Christmas.

We purchased a nice gift for each child, had them beautifully wrapped, then drove across the city to deliver them. Assured by the agency that the grandparents would manage wisely any money we might give them, I handed them a sealed envelope containing ninety dollars. Since they did not open the envelope in our presence, they had no idea how much money we had given them. Although as we left the family said, "Thank you," we thought that after Christmas we might receive a phone call or a brief note of appreciation. To our disappointment, we never heard a further word from them.