A Modern Day Parable

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It was the best of times; it was the worst of . . . well actually even at their worst, times were pretty good (unless you consider the possibility that because things were going so well, people often did not focus on the truly important eternal things in life – which could be the worst thing of all). Ten people received a gift with no strings attached.

The 1st person hardly realized a gift had been given as he was really focused on his computer. Currently he was programming some code into the proper Java Borloadian computer language . . . OK, actually he was really caught up in his favorite video games like Warcraft, Warfront, Wargods (since I am so up on all the hip new video games, I instantly know that most all the popular games have “war” in the title . . . after my Google search for “most popular video games”) and of course the ever popular Super Mario Brothers (and Son Wario) along with Pong (the war version).
The 2nd person was so excited about the new gift that she decided to channel her energies into shopping. There was an excitement from buying new stuff, which distracted her from saying thanks.

Just after receiving the gift, the 3rd person also won an all expense paid vacation to lovely Bakersfield! He got so caught up in getting away and escaping all responsibilities that he forgot to say thanks for the gift.

He bowed his head and said, “We paid for it all so thanks for nothing.”

The 4th person was late to worship service. And since one of that person’s responsibilities was leading the service, there was no time to stop and say thanks.
The 5th person was too busy and absorbed in activities to even think of taking time to say thanks. In addition to work, there were house repairs, balancing the books so that the family’s money could be used in the wisest way and of course their involvement in the big soccer tournament over the weekend. Then after all that activity, it was important to wind down and be able to relax by watching some TV like CSI San Diego, CSI Black Gnat (KY) and Despicable Housewives. The youngest child blurted out, “I’m so thankful for electricity; otherwise we would have to watch TV by candlelight.”

One was about to say thanks but had to answer the cell phone 1st, check the pager, then return a few voice mails along with some text messages followed by emailing some friends, & of course a few notes were sent out via carrier pigeon. Before long this person fell asleep with all thoughts of thankfulness deleted from the brain.

One man had just bought 5 yoke of oxen and was on his way to check on them . . . oh, wait a minute; I’m getting confused with a Bible story.
One family felt they deserved the gift because they were respectable, law abiding, prominent citizens in their community and had worked hard for everything they owned. They usually did not pray before meals but since the father had just received a bonus, the son was asked to say grace. He bowed his head and said, "We paid for it all so thanks for nothing."

One teen was so in tune with the IPOD listening to music, there was no realization a gift had even been offered.

The 10th person was very bitter from all the bad things that had happened to her in life. In addition, the physical pain seemed to mock and remind her that others always seemed to get the breaks in life. It was other people who ended up with so much more. But then this person thought of all the people who were less fortunate. She remembered that she had access to free water and air to breathe to sustain her life. She realized she did not deserve this gift and it could have been given to someone else, but it was given to her. She chose to take the time and effort to return to the giver of the gift and express her deep heart-felt thanks even in the midst of her horrible life circumstances. Afterwards, she felt so good that she bowed her head to also say thanks to Someone she had not spoken to in awhile, except in emergencies.

What if the gift was $1,000,000,000.00!?! How excited and thankful would you be? Yet, would you rather have a billion dollars or . . . air? (For some of you younger youth, let me just point out that without air you would not be alive to enjoy your billion dollars). The greatest gifts are not physical and cannot be purchased with money! It just so happens that all Bill Gates’ billions are like a clod of dirt compared to the gift of eternal life God offers through Jesus Christ. It is not enough to just know about it, however. John 1:12 says we must receive it, which is true of any gift.

I hope you see yourself in one of these . . . well, not that I am hoping you are ungrateful but that instead of looking at others and which category they may fall into, you will truly try to objectively see if you have fallen into one of these unthankful ruts. I guess we all do from time to time. Just because you may not be into CSI Seattle or something else I mentioned in the parable does not mean you are off the hook.

Saying thanks is a way of encouraging someone as you are recognizing they have made an effort to do something for you. The Bible doesn’t just suggest but rather instructs us to encourage others and do to others as we would have done to us (Luke 6:31). It feels good to be appreciated, so if we can get out of our self-absorbed, self-centered point of view on life, we could see that we need to make an effort to encourage others. One way to do that is expressing thanks. Try it on your pastor this Sunday, and then your parents or your mate or your evil boss or bully at school or . . .

Remember, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father . . .” (James 1:17). (For an amazingly similar story see Luke 17:11-19 in the #1 all-time best seller, the Bible).
“In everything give thanks, because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.   (I Thes. 5:18)


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