Scripture: Isaiah 29:24 (the Message)
Those who got off-track will get back on-track, and complainers and whiners learn gratitude.
Thought for the Day: The comedian Seth Meyers said, “A new study shows that kids who eat a lot of candy are more likely to be arrested for violent behavior as adults, said that weird old lady who gives out apples on Halloween.” There were always the people who gave out toothbrushes, a religious tract or a nice shinny penny on Halloween. And there was the one woman who gave out full-sized candy bars, but first lectured us on some hot issue from our local paper. We often debated if the time lost in listening to her rant was really worth the larger bar. I’d like to pretend that as a young child I was appreciative of each gift I received on Halloween, but I was not. Some stops were much better than others. For parents, Halloween and other holidays can be important teaching moments around the notion of gratitude. We need to help our children (and a lot of adults) look behind the gift and see the heart of the individual who gave it. The old guy down the street might be handing out the worst candy ever, but he took the time to buy it and greet you with a smile at the door. Gratitude for the generosity and care of another is so important…even if the gift wasn’t what you really wanted.
Prayer: God, give me an openness to see the beautiful intent of a gift, and then honor that intent through genuine gratitude. Amen.
