Sunday's Message - Thankful People Are...Relaxed

As we approach Thanksgiving, we’re going to look at some of the characteristics of thankful people. During four of our November worship services, we’ll focus on the following topics:

• Sunday, October 31 – Thankful People Are...Humble
• Sunday, November 6 – Thankful People Are...Open
• Sunday, November 13 – Thankful People Are...Relaxed
• Sunday, November 20 – Thankful People Are...Compassionate

During the third message, we focused on the statement: Thankful people are relaxed.

As y’all may remember, a couple of weeks ago we started a new sermon series entitled, Thankful People Are...., and this was the plan. During the four Sundays before Thanksgiving, which is now eleven days away, we were going to look at four characteristics that I believe we find in thankful people. And so, during the first message, we considered humility, and we talked about why thankful people are humble and at how we might work a little more humility into our own lives by rejecting the arrogant message that comes from our society and by recognizing both our strengths and our weaknesses and by realizing that we really do need one another. And then last week, we looked at openness, and in particular, at why thankful people generally have a pretty broad perspective and at how we might become more open ourselves, you know, by broadening our vision and our expectations and our experiences. Now that’s what we done to this point.

And this morning, we’re going to look at an attitude related to giving thanks,  and it just so happens to be the same one that Aaron Rogers, the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers for now, encouraged the fans to have way back in 2014 right after the Pack started the season 1 and 2. 

You see, this morning we’re going to talk about R-E-L-A-X, and I’ll tell you why. Right along with being humble and open, I think thankful people are also relaxed. 

And you know, being relaxed, man, that might be more challenging than being humble or open. I mean, while we can decide to show some humility and openness, whether or not we worry, well, that generally has a lot to do with what’s happening around us, right? And I’ll tell you, I believe that’s true even if you’re not putting almost everything you own on a truck in eight days and watching it drive down the road to “who knows where.” No, regardless of the situation, often feeling relaxed is pretty hard for us to do even at the best of times. Let me give you an example. Imagine that you’re finally sitting down after a hard day at work, just trying to chill, maybe waiting for supper. The chair is comfortable; the air is still and warm; and you can feel the stress of the day sort of melting away. And then all-of-a-sudden, POW, you get hit by something you didn’t expect. And any possibility of chillin seems as remote as putting shaving cream on our pumpkin pie by mistake. Let’s just say that relaxing is hard to pull off. And yet, because I believe it’s one of those things that enables us to be thankful, it may be worth the effort.

And that’s what we’re going to look at this morning, namely the relationship between thanksgiving and being relaxed. And just like we’ve done the last couple of weeks, we’ll focus on two questions. First, why are thankful people generally relaxed? And second, how might we become a little more relaxed in our own lives? 

And you know, just like we saw when we were talking about humility and openness, I think we can get a handle on why thankful folks are also relaxed by comparing them with men and women on the other extreme, and I’m talking about people who tend to worry. And to be completely honest with y’all, I know more about these worriers than I probably should, because my wife, well, she’s married to one. “Hello, my name is Ed, and I’m a worry wart.” Now that’s not exactly easy to admit, but it’s true. You see, when something stressful is looming in the near future, you know, like moving your stuff or selling your house, I tend to worry about it, because I’m not getting the answers I want when I want them, and I want them right now. I just can’t seem to wait patiently. Instead, my mind starts racing, and I find myself going through all the reasons why whatever’s coming up is going to be a problem. And trust me, no delusion is too remote or conspiracy too bizarre. And instead of getting my eight hours every night, I get about five, because I really need at least three hours a day to worry about all those pies that are going to hit me in the face when I’m least expecting them. Now that’s what I end up doing, and what’s obviously missing is spending anytime counting my blessings, right? I’ll tell you, feeling worried and giving thanks is a lot like oil and vinegar. 

But you know, I don’t think that’s the case with those who are able to feel relaxed. And again, I know that from personal experience, because I’m married to a person who registers pretty close to a “zero” on the worry meter. I mean, while I’m like in a constant state of agitation, Debbie is really patient. You see, she’s willing to wait for a resolution. And because of that, she has an amazing ability to stay calm. My gosh, while I’m imagining all the reasons why something might go wrong and all the horrible things that’s going to happen when it does, Debbie is right there saying to me the same sort of thing Jesus said to his disciples: “I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.” [John 14:27, CEV] In fact, she sounds an awful lot like another twenty-first century philosopher we talked about a little while ago. 

Now that’s my wife. And I’ll tell you, as it is with other men and women who can relax, she’s patient enough to wait for the blessings and calm enough to offer thanks. And you know, that’s why I believe thankful people are relaxed.

And I’ll tell you, this is the reason that finding some relaxation may be pretty important especially as we approach Thanksgiving Day. And I think it’s possible, you know, to become more relaxed and thankful by simply remembering three things. 

For example, first, we can remember that worry is an unnecessary distraction. In other words, not only is being all anxious and troubled and uneasy, not only is all that a big, fat waste of time and energy, worry can also distract us from all those reasons we have to give thanks each and every day. Of course, I’m not sure anyone described the sheer futility of worry better than Jesus Christ himself. Remember, he said this to his disciples during his Sermon on the Mount: 

I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?

Can worry make you live longer? Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of them. [Matthew 6:25-29, CEV]

Now that’s what he said, and frankly, I think he could have said “Dah” after every question. A worrier gains nothing but ulcers. It’s a waste of time. And to why it can also be a distraction, listen to what else Jesus said:

Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. [Matthew 6:31-33, CEV]

I’ll tell you, no matter how you cut it, worrying is both unnecessary and distracting, and if we want to relax more, that’s one thing I think we need to remember.

And second, I also believe we need to remember that our destiny is in God’s hands, and I’m talking about his loving and merciful hands. You see, God just plain loves us and is leading us into the future. But let me be clear, I’m not saying that God has given us some kind of “Get Out of Pain” free card or that we can expect to sort of float through life with all the flowers and none of the thorns. That’s definitely not what I’m saying, because I hope y’all know that would just be a lot of baloney. Still, having said that, I do believe that God loves us, and since that love wasn’t something we earned, it’s not something that we can lose. It’s like Apostle Paul described in what’s probably my favorite passage in the entire Bible:

Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death?

In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! [Romans 8:35, 37-39, CEV]

Now that’s what Paul wrote, and frankly, when he said “nothing,” I think that’s exactly what he meant. You see, this is the one who holds our destiny in his hands. And what’s that destiny going to be like? Listen to what John of Patmos saw and described in his Revelation:

I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and so had the sea. Then I saw New Jerusalem, that holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband.

I heard a loud voice shout from the throne:

God’s home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever. [Revelation 21:1-4, CEV]

You see, this is the future; this is our future. And if we’re serious about worrying less and relaxing more, I think this is the second thing we might need to remember. 

And third, right along with remembering that worry is a waste and that we have good reason for hope, we can also remember that we can only do our best. We can only do the best we can with what we’ve got. We just can’t do better than our best. My gosh, God knows it, and so should we. In other words, I think it’s important to remember that even though the Psalmist wrote about us saying, “You made us a little lower than you yourself, and you have crowned us with glory and honor.” [Psalm 8:5, CEV], I think operative word here is “lower.” We are not perfect, and if that comes as a blow to your ego, I’m sorry. It’s like what Paul wrote to the Romans: 

All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life’s blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus. [Romans 3:23-26, CEV]

Now that’s who we are, a jumble of weaknesses and strengths, of limitations and possibilities. But instead of dwelling on our weaknesses and worrying about our limitations, we have the opportunity to take the jumble and to put it to good use. And I’ll tell you, this is the same kind of thing John the Baptist told those who came to him:

The crowds asked John, “What should we do?”

John told them, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn’t have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”

When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, “Teacher, what should we do?”

John told them, “Don’t make people pay more than they owe.”

Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us? What do we have to do?”

John told them, “Don’t force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay.” [Luke 3:10-14, CEV]

You see, despite our personal limitations, we all can still do something. And for that reason, we can stop worrying about those things we can’t and claim our very best in order to accomplish what we can. And again, if we want to relax more, I think this is the third thing we can remember.

You know, when you get right down to it, Aaron Rogers was right. We’d all be better off if we could just R-E-L-A-X. And I’ll tell you, since I think our ability and willingness to be thankful rises as our worries drop, we have an excellent reason to chill just a little bit, starting right now. And this is something I believe we’re able to do when we remember that worry is an unnecessary distraction and that our destiny is in God’s loving and merciful hands and that we can only do our best. This we can remember. And I’ll tell you, doing that kind of thing seems really appropriate this time of year, because I believe thankful people are relaxed.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, November 7, 2021

Sunday, November 7, we started a new series entitled "Thankful People Are..." As we approach Thanksgiving, we’re going to look at some of the characteristics of thankful people. During four of our November worship services, we’ll focus on the following topics:

• Sunday, October 31 – Thankful People Are...Humble
• Sunday, November 6 – Thankful People Are...Open
• Sunday, November 13 – Thankful People Are...Relaxed
• Sunday, November 20 – Thankful People Are...Compassionate

You can stream the service live by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube channel. If you miss one of these messages, you can find a copy and podcast on the Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community blog (https://thenettransform.blogspot.com/). 

Below is a copy of the bulletin, a podcast of the sermon and the video of the worship service. 

Sunday's Message - Thankful People Are...Open

As we approach Thanksgiving, we’re going to look at some of the characteristics of thankful people. During four of our November worship services, we’ll focus on the following topics:

• Sunday, October 31 – Thankful People Are...Humble
• Sunday, November 6 – Thankful People Are...Open
• Sunday, November 13 – Thankful People Are...Relaxed
• Sunday, November 20 – Thankful People Are...Compassionate

During the second message, we focused on the statement: Thankful people are open.

*******

If you weren’t here last Sunday, we started a new sermon series entitled, Thankful People Are.... You see, over the four Sundays before Thanksgiving, which is now eighteen days away, we’re going to talk about four qualities that I believe thankful people tend to have. And last week, we started by looking at how thankful people are humble. In other words, as opposed to men and women who are arrogant and who believe that they deserve everything they get and more, those who are humble may have a greater appreciation for what they receive. And with that in mind, we looked at how we might work a little more humility in our character by rejecting the arrogant message that comes from our society and by recognizing both our strengths and our weaknesses and by realizing that we really do need one another. Now that was our focus last week.

And this morning, we’re going to consider the second trait that I believe goes with thankfulness, namely that thankful people are also open. And I’ve got to tell you, I got a lesson in the importance of openness less than two weeks ago. Now, as some of y’all know, I’ve lived in a lot of different places. And in each place, there was something I did that sort of showed me that I belonged. For example, when something surprised me, the first time I said “poo-ra” I knew that I belonged in New Orleans. And the same thing happened in eastern Montana when I said “ofta.” Eating my first tenderloin sandwich at Edward’s Drive-In did it for me in Indianapolis as did accepting that “yuns” was the same as “y’all” around Pittsburgh. And even though actually enjoying a “wedgie”, something I’d never done as a child, man, that was an important step in coming to this area, something happened a week ago Tuesday that showed me that northwestern Pennsylvania was home. You see, I hit my first deer. I was just south of Bradys Bend when all of sudden my deer and I got up-close and personal. Thank the Lord, it could have been worse, and I’m speaking for myself and not the deer. And I’ll tell you, that was a tangible reminder that to drive in this part of the country, I really need to be as open as I can be, especially for deer, something I was aware of before but is now burned into my very soul and the bumper of my Fit. 

And like I said a little while ago, that’s what we’re going to talk about this morning, namely the relationship between giving thanks and being open. And like we did last week, first, we’re going to look at why I believe thankful people are not only humble, but also open. And then, second, we’ll consider three things we might want to do in order to open ourselves up a little bit.

Of course, I think we can get a pretty good idea about why thankful people tend to be open by looking at folks on the other end of the spectrum. I mean, just think about those men and women who sort of close themselves off. You see, by their choice, they’ve decided to have a really, and I mean really narrow perspective. It’s like they live with blinders on, so that they can see only what they want to see and to hear only what they like to hear and to believe only what they already believe. For example, they always go to the same restaurant and always order the same meal. And they get all their news from one source, usually either MSNBC or Fox, so that they never hear anything that makes them uncomfortable. 

And often they’ve decided that years ago, they’d already learned everything they need to know; therefore, any additional information is unnecessary. Man, these folks are closed, not unlike someone we talked about last week, a guy who was not only kind of arrogant but also a closed book. Just listen to what the Evangelist Luke wrote:

So Jesus told them this story:

A rich man’s farm produced a big crop, and he said to himself, “What can I do? I don’t have a place large enough to store everything.”

Later, he said, “Now I know what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I can store all my grain and other goods. Then I’ll say to myself, ‘You have stored up enough good things to last for years to come. Live it up! Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.’”

But God said to him, “You fool! Tonight you will die. Then who will get what you have stored up?”

“This is what happens to people who store up everything for themselves, but are poor in the sight of God.” [Luke 12:16-21, CEV]

Now that’s what I’m talking about when I say that a person is closed. And I’ll tell you, since the outlook of guys like this is so limited, I serious doubt that they’re able to see much less appreciate any reason for thanks outside of their narrow perspective. 

But I don’t think that’s the case with folks who are open. I mean, their perspective is really broad; therefore, they’re taking in all kinds of information. And they’re looking at the world from all kinds of angles. And they’re experiencing God in all kinds of ways. Man, they’re adventurous. And they’re curious. And they’re inquisitive. And so, they’re in a perfect position to be thankful for things and in situations that will never enter a closed mind and heart. As a matter of fact, I believe only a person who’s open can say this with the Apostle Paul: 

By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God’s undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that’s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love. [Romans 5:1-5, CEV]

Now that’s what he wrote, and I’ll tell you, there’s no way we can be glad much less thankful for problems unless we’ve made the intentional decision to be open. And that’s why I believe thankful people are open. 

And I’ll tell you, if that’s something we’d like to see happen, I believe there are three things we can do, and they all involve what I think you could call a broadening. For example, if we want to be more open, we can intentionally broaden our vision. In other words, we can make the decision that we’ve not going to limit ourselves to what we already like and what we already think and what we already believe. Instead, we’re going make an effort to open our eyes and our ears, our minds and our hearts, and to take in information we might never have entertained in the past. Of course, to do this kind of thing, well, I think it takes faith, and I’m talking about trusting that we’re not alone; God is always with us, guiding and directing us. In fact, I think it may be like what Jesus challenged Peter and the other disciples to do after the resurrection. Just listen to what the Evangelist John wrote:

Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias. Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the brothers James and John, were there, together with two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing!”

The others said, “We will go with you.” They went out in their boat. But they didn’t catch a thing that night.

Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was. Jesus shouted, “Friends, have you caught anything?”

“No!” they answered.

So he told them, “Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish.”

They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat.

Jesus’ favorite disciple told Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. The boat was only about a hundred yards from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish. [John 21:1-8, CEV]

You see, they would have missed the miracle, if they hadn’t stepped away from their assumptions and done something that, based on their experience, just didn’t make sense. To be more open, we really need to broaden our vision. And that’s the first thing we can do.

And second, we can also intentionally broaden our expectations. And I’ll tell you, I think that just makes sense. Like they say, a pessimist is never disappointed, because what he expects to happen generally does. And so, if we limit our expectations, we also limit the reasons for being thankful. Of course, to broaden our expectations, man, it sure helps if we believe that God is on our side and that, in spite of what may be happening in our world or in our lives, he holds our future in his loving and gracious hands. And I’ll tell you, I think that kind of perspective was what the Lord challenged Jeremiah to have. You see, after sending the prophet to proclaim a message of accountability and judgement to a people who only wanted to hear about rainbows and flowers, the Lord said this:

After Babylonia has been the strongest nation for seventy years, I will be kind and bring you back to Jerusalem, just as I have promised. I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with you and accept your worship. Then I will gather you from all the nations where I scattered you, and you will return to Jerusalem. [Jeremiah 29:10-14, CEV]

You see, the Lord wanted Jeremiah to expect something different. Of course, this is the same sort of thing Jesus told his disciples: If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light. [Matthew 11:28-30, CEV] I’m telling you, to become more open, we really need to broaden our expectations. And that’s the second thing we can do.

And third, we can also intentionally broadening our experiences. In other words, we can open ourselves to all the reasons we have to be thankful, even if that might mean occasionally eating at some other restaurant or getting the news from several different sources or putting ourselves in places where we might learn and grow. Of course, to actually do that, I mean, to put ourselves out there, and I’m talking about outside our comfort zones, man, that’s going to take both courage and faith. It’s like what happened to Joshua when he was about to lead the people of Israel into the promised land. After wandering around in a desert, they were about to enter and take possession of the place that God had given them. And Joshua was going to lead them. And so, right before he was to take them across the Jordan into the land of milk and honey, the Lord said this to Joshua:

Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.

I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go. [Joshua 1:6-9, CEV]

Now that’s what the Lord told Joshua. And you know, Paul wrote something very similar when he said this to Timothy:

So I ask you to make full use of the gift that God gave you when I placed my hands on you. Use it well. God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control. [2 Timothy 1:6-7, CEV]

You see, when we trust in God, we’re able to step outside our comfort zones and to broaden our experiences. And that’s the third thing we can do, if we’re serious about being more open.

Now four days after I hit my first deer, I drove to Ambridge to do a wedding. And on Sunday evening, Debbie and I went to Pittsburgh. And I’ve go to tell you, on both trips, I’m not sure I could have been more open to marauding bands of kamikaze deer just waiting to jump in front of my car, not unlike these squirrels. 

Let’s just say I’m now open to the possibilities. And you know, it might be a good thing to carry this same mind-set into our preparation for Thanksgiving. I mean, since I believe our ability to see reasons for thanks increases the more open we are, maybe this would be the perfect time to broaden our vision and to broaden our expectations and to broaden our experiences. And why would we want to do this kind of thing in the eighteen days we have left? Well, personally I think that’s pretty clear. It’s because thankful people are open.

Sunday's Message - Thankful People Are...Humble

As we approach Thanksgiving, we’re going to look at some of the characteristics of thankful people. During four of our November worship services, we’ll focus on the following topics:

• Sunday, October 31 – Thankful People Are...Humble
• Sunday, November 6 – Thankful People Are...Open
• Sunday, November 13 – Thankful People Are...Relaxed
• Sunday, November 20 – Thankful People Are...Compassionate

During the first message, we focused on the statement: Thankful people are humble.

You can stream the service live by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube channel. If you miss one of these messages, you can find a copy and podcast on the Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community blog (https://thenettransform.blogspot.com/). 

For y’all who were here last week, do you remember that we talked about how, for a kid, we’re entering the very best time of year? And do you remember that, at the very beginning of the message, I said that we had only seven days before Halloween and thirty-two days before Thanksgiving and sixty-two days before Christmas, something that puts the fear of God in me? Now, do you remember that? Well, here we’re one week later, and there are fifty-five days before Christmas and twenty-five days before Thanksgiving and brothers and sisters, today is Halloween. I hope you have a costume. 

And you know, because we have just four Sundays before we binge on food, family and football, I thought it might be a good idea to sort of focus on what the day is really all about, you know, thanksgiving. And to do that, we going to talk about four characteristics I think we tend to see in thankful people. In other words, during the next four services, we’re going look at how thankful people are humble and open, relaxed and compassionate. And as we look at each of these characteristics, we’ll use to the Bible to consider why folks who are thankful seem to have these each of these traits and how we might develop them in our own lives. And since we looking at the “why” and “how” of these personal qualities, we won’t be working from one passage that I’ll read at the beginning. Instead, we’ll be looking at a lot of scripture throughout the message. Now that’s the plan.

And like I said just a minute ago, this morning we’re going to start by looking at the statement, Thankful people are humble. In other words, thankfulness and humility are sort of joined at the hip and that, frankly, it may be really difficult for a person to be grateful and appreciative if they’re not also humble. Of course, having said this, I understand that, as it relates to the top ten personal characteristics valued in our society, humility would probably be around fifty-five, somewhere just above being a good pickle baller. I mean, let’s be honest, humility is not really seen as important now-a-days. In fact, it’s generally viewed as a sign of weakness, isn’t it? And I seriously doubt that many humble people will get either our applause or vote. As a matter of fact, just a few weeks ago, Mike Greenberg, the host of a sports talk show I listen to every weekday morning on ESPN radio, he said that his lifetime, he’s seen this a shift in what people look for in their favorite athletes. You see, according to Greenie, we used to like our stars humble. But that’s not the case anymore. Instead, we like them to be petty, you know, to brag about themselves at the expense of others and to look for reasons to feel slighted or disrespected. Now, that’s what he said, and I’m not sure whether he’s right or wrong. But I think it’s pretty clear that the humble athlete or humble actor or humble politician, man, they’re few and fair between.

And I’ll tell you, I think that’s a shame, especially as it relates to giving thanks, because I believe it may be virtually impossible for a person to be truly thankful without also being truly humble. And that’s what we’re going to talk about during the rest of our time this morning. You see, first, we’ll consider why I believe thankful people are humble. And then second, we’ll talk about how we might work a little more humility into our own lives. 

Of course, I think it’s fairly clear why humble people are able to be thankful people, especially when you compare them with folks on the oppose extreme, and I’m talking about people who are really arrogant. Now, I think we all know the kind of folks I’m talking about, men and women who never met a spotlight they didn’t seek out and who love to hear the sound of their own voice and who always and I mean always know a better way of doing everything, and certainly don’t mind telling you what it is. These are arrogant people, not unlike the teachers of the Law of Moses we talked about a few weeks ago. Remember, according to Jesus, “they love to walk around in long robes and be greeted in the market. They like the front seats in the meeting places and the best seats at banquets. But they cheat widows out of their homes and pray long prayers just to show off. They will be punished most of all.” [Mark 12:38b-40, CEV] Now that’s what he said, and I’ll tell you, I think that really points to why arrogant people have a hard time being thankful. I mean, since they are so self-centered, you know, so sure they’re number one, they tend to assume everything they get, they naturally deserve. But more than that, they’re also so self-absorbed and so focused on satisfying themselves, other people are there simply to be used or ignored. Now you tell me, how are these folks able to be thankful to anyone or anything that doesn’t have their initials? But that’s not the case with all those on the other end of the humility spectrum. I mean, although they certainly care about themselves, they’re not alone in the center of their universe. You see, they’re able to focus on both themselves and others. And instead of using people to get what they want, they’re willing to listen and even empathize with those around them. I’ll tell you, it’s like they took these words from the Apostle Paul to heart: I realize how kind God has been to me, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you. ...When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. [Romans 12:3, 15-16, CEV] You see, that’s how humble people see themselves and others, and in my opinion, that’s why they can also be thankful. It’s simply who they are.

And how can it be done? In other words, how might we become more humble? Well, I think there are three things we can start doing today. And I’ll tell you, I think there’s an example of each right here in scripture. For example, if we’re serious about working a little more humility into our character, first, I believe it’s essential for us to reject the overwhelming message that we hear in our society now-a-days, namely that arrogance is shown by the strong and that humility is a sign of weakness. I’m telling you, I believe that’s a message we’ve got to reject in the strongest terms possible, because not only do I think it’s dead wrong, we see something very different presented in the Bible. You know, it’s amazing; according to the teachings of Jesus Christ, those who are self-centered are never heroes in any of his stories. Just listen to this from the Gospel of Luke: 

Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else:

Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood over by himself and said, “God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”

The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, “God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner.”

Then Jesus said, “When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.” [Luke 18:9-14, CEV]

And remember, for Jesus, it was no better for those who were absorbed by what they could get. He told this story, also in Luke:

A rich man’s farm produced a big crop, and he said to himself, “What can I do? I don’t have a place large enough to store everything.”

Later, he said, “Now I know what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I can store all my grain and other goods. Then I’ll say to myself, ‘You have stored up enough good things to last for years to come. Live it up! Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.’”

But God said to him, “You fool! Tonight you will die. Then who will get what you have stored up?”

“This is what happens to people who store up everything for themselves, but are poor in the sight of God.” [Luke 12:16b-21, CEV]

Man, if we want to be humble, we’ve got to reject the message coming from all those who preach the glories of arrogance. And that’s the first thing we can do.

And then second, if humility is our goal, we can recognize our both our strengths and weaknesses. As a matter of fact, we can approach our strengths with the same kind of perspective offered by the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians: 

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do.

The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God’s Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us. [1 Corinthians 12:4-11, CEV]

You see, this is how we can view our strengths. And as to our weakness, again listen to what Paul had to say, this time to the Romans: All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. [Romans 3:23-24, CEV] I’m telling you, we can recognize that our strengths, those things we’ve been given the ability to do, man, at their most basic level, they’re gifts from God. And at the same time, we can view our weaknesses and our mistakes and our failures as both real and important but definitely not stronger than God’s grace and love. You see, if we want to be humble, we can recognize that our strengths have been inspired and our weaknesses will be forgiven. And that’s the second thing we can do.

And third, we can realize that we really do need one another. We need our brothers and sisters to do the work we’ve been called to do. It’s like Paul wrote to the Romans: 

God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully. [Romans 12:6-8, CEV]

In other words, to be everything that God created us to be and to do, man, we need one another. But I’ll tell you, to come together as a community, a body, we need to do more than just recognize the gifts and talents we’ve been given. We also need to be willing to accept and to encourage others. And to do that, again listen to what Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people. We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us. [Ephesians 4:1-6, CEV] 

I’m telling you, we can become more humble by realizing that God didn’t created us to be alone; we need one another. And that’s the third thing we can do.

You know, maybe our world will go back to a time when humility is valued and humble people are viewed as emotionally strong, because they’re so secure with themselves that they just don’t need to blow their own horns and to trumpet their own success. I mean, some times history seems like a pendulum, swinging back and forth, and today we exalt arrogance but tomorrow, who knows. But no matter what happens in the future, we can choose our own direction right now. You see, regardless of what the world says, we know the problem with arrogance and the power of humility. And because thankfulness is important to us, we can decide to reject the message coming from our world and we can recognize both our strengths and our weaknesses and we can realize that we need one another to become the people God created us to be. And why is this something we might be willing to do this time of year? Man, that’s easy. It’s because, thankful people are humble.