Modeling Gratitude

One of the hardest parts of parenthood is that our children become us. Good or bad, beautiful or ugly, our kids are most often a reflection of who we are. Certainly, there are decisions that they make and are ultimately responsible for their own consequences but every parent knows the moment when their child does something or responds in a way that you know came from something they have seen you do.

One of the ways I have seen this play out lately in our house is in attitudes. If I am grateful and am looking for the good even in hard circumstances, then my kids follow suit. If I am picking things apart and looking for holes in arguments or circumstances, then they are doing the same. I am leading their attitudes with mine, for better or for worse.

The Bible is pretty specific about this attitude of gratitude and how we are to model this.

"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 
--1 Thessalonians                                                   5:16-18

This is one of those verses that smacks me in the forehead. How in the world am I supposed to be always joyful? NEVER stop praying?? Does God realize all of the chaos that surrounds me in life? The answer is yes and that is exactly why he wants these things for us. 

For some people, this is a natural behavior. They are already a glass is half-full, optimistic person. For me, this behavior is learned and a battle. 

The key here for me is verse 17. NEVER STOP PRAYING. That is the whole verse. An entire verse devoted to those three very powerful words... NEVER STOP PRAYING. When I am in a constant state of conversation with God, when I have made it a habit of turning over the good and the hard to him on a moment by moment basis, I am constantly aligning my will and heart with his. Seeing my circumstances the way that he sees them, with a big picture view and a filter of love and purpose, allows me to experience his peace and joy and to be thankful for any experience, because it allows me to be closer to him and his heart. 

Joy and gratitude are contagious. They spread like wildfire through any circumstance. When I am able to remind myself to stop and pray. To give all of the circumstances over with open hands to the Father, then I am able to influence all of those around me to be always joyful and thankful in all circumstances. This is his will for us. It is the best version of us. 

Have you ever noticed this at the grocery store check out line? If the cashier is friendly and engaging, then the people in their line are happier to wait, tend to have less complaints and are generally friendlier. If the cashier is scanning items and not saying anything, if they are doing their task and no more, then the line is plain grumpy. The friendlier cashiers actually have longer lines because they are contagious and engaging in a world that is all about the normal, boring everyday task of buying groceries. 

I want to be like a friendly grocery store check out clerk in all of my life circumstances. Our charge as followers of Jesus is to "Go and make disciples of all nations". We cannot do that without modeling gratitude. Our peace and joy in any circumstances, our love, should be what attracts others to us, part of what sets us apart from others.  Modeling gratitude is the a big part of our roles as missionaries to the world. It is the greatest thing we can teach our children.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

                                                   -- Matthew 28:18-20