I had an interesting conversation with my friend Phillip Herbert yesterday. We were discussing the relationship between thanksgiving (appreciation) and the reception of grace. Here’s our assumption: The more grace that is received, the more thankful one becomes. This seems so simple, but when you start seeing it applied to life, it takes on a new dimension.Think about it. When you receive a pay check you are thankful, especially in this economy, but that thankfulness pales in comparison to our appreciation for an unexpected Bonus check at the end of the year. Where the first is an agreed upon wage received for services rendered, the second is unexpected - it is by grace that it is given.
This has to have implication in a lot of areas. Staying in the employment field, I would gather that it is not the wage that is the biggest determination of job satisfaction and/or decreased turn over, but the amount of grace received which increases appreciation.
In relationships, a contractual agreement of roles and responsibilities does not increase appreciation or thankfulness of the other, but it is the grace we show by our actions that cause us to be so thankful.
At the Thanksgiving table this year, maybe we can look past what we are thankful for and look at where we have experienced the greatest amount of grace in our lives. I bet we will be surprised to find that there too, we will find the greatest amount of thanksgiving.
In short: Thanksgiving is experienced only after Grace-giving.
