OK, grammar
rules would dictate the title of this post should be, “For whom are you
thankful?” But if the worst thing I do today is finish off a sentence with a
preposition, it’s a pretty decent day. Since this is being posted on
Thanksgiving Day, most folks will have better things to do than to read other
people’s blogs (at least I hope so!) So, it seemed good to write something applicable
for other days as well.
While we’re
feeling thankful for various blessings in our lives, like a warm and safe place
to live, food and clothing – right at the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs,
along with loved ones, a job and means for getting to that job, there are other
things for which to give thanks. Perhaps it’s not just “what” to be thankful
for, but also “who” (or whom, for grammatical sticklers).
Who are
those folks that have had the greatest impact on your life? Those who’ve had a
hand in shaping the person you are today?
Starting
off, I obviously would cite my parents, my wife, children and grandchildren.
But they’re just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Teachers have had important
roles in my life: my fourth-grade teacher who instilled in me a vision for attending
college; my freshman English instructor in college who encouraged me to write; and
my first journalism prof as I began learning the craft of news writing. My
uncle Joe, who lovingly kicked my tail when I was a spoiled teenager and taught
me about hard work and perseverance.
A number of
pastors have influenced me in various ways. Some showed that clergymen are normal,
approachable human beings. Others taught how to deep-dive into the Scriptures,
not only for intellectual understanding but also for practical truths and
principles to survive this marathon called everyday life.
Vocationally,
I’ve appreciated bosses who gave me opportunities, recognized the potential in
me (one even called me “a diamond in the rough”), challenged me to fulfill it, and
demonstrated what leadership should look like. I’m also thankful for many of my
coworkers whose passion mirrored mine and whose skills complemented my own. Together
we demonstrated the truth of Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Often, working
together on projects, we saw the reality of the adage, “the whole is greater
than the sum of the parts.”
Although I
never had one specific mentor, numerous men have had profound impacts of my
life, not only in teaching me biblical truth and showing how it relates to real
life, but also demonstrating what it looks like to live out one’s faith in a
genuine, consistent manner.
Thankfulness,
as we would expect, can be found throughout the Scriptures. One example is how
much relationships meant for the apostle Paul. Many times, in his letters to both
individuals and groups of believers, he expressed how thankful he was for them.
To the church in Philippi he wrote, “I
thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I
always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first
day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5).
Paul
expressed the same sentiments to believers in the Greek city of Thessalonica,
writing, “We always thank God for all of
you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and
Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your
endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians
1:2-3).
To Timothy,
one of the men whom he had discipled during his travels, Paul wrote, “I thank God, whom I serve, as my
forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly
remember you in my prayers” (2 Timothy 1:3). How encouraging those words
must have been to that young pastor as he sought to serve and minister to those
God had brought into his life.
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