Remembrance of Gratitude

THANKS AGAIN!
Terry R. Baughman

“Just as the Scriptures say about the one who trusts in him: Because he has sown extravagantly and given to the poor, his kindness and generous deeds will never be forgotten” (2 Corinthians 9:9 TPT).

Scriptures reveal the qualities of virtue and the reward of their manifestation. There are also numerous stories of bad decisions, mistaken alternatives, and poor judgment that were painfully rewarded with the consequence of their errors. Lessons may be learned from all of them, but the greatest blessing comes from following the example of wise choices, charitable living, and caring qualities of Christianity. 

Paul wrote about those who trusted completely in God and have sown the plenteous seeds of generosity. He noted that the harvest of their kind deeds would always be remembered. Eternity is affected by the lasting witness of those who lived well, shared with others, and practiced a life of generosity. The gratitude of those who were the recipients of those blessings continue to honor the lives of those who lived like that. 

Contrast the one who trusts in God, with the man Jesus used for a teaching illustration. Apparently the man was enterprising, successful, and had great resources. His barns were already full before the year of a bumper crop, an excessive increase. His solution was to tear down the barns he had and build bigger warehouses to store his wealth. His goals was to build such a stockpile where he would never have a need and could live out his days in ease. 

God passed judgment on the man in the story, calling him a foolish man. He said, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?” Jesus made the application to the lesson, “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 12:20-21 NLT). 

It is misplaced priorities to horde the harvest and selfishly store the abundance of blessings for an uncertain future. Life is made more rich by focusing on gratitude for the blessings God has given and joyfully sharing with others, especially those in need. Our open hand of gratitude allows more abundance to flow through our hands and we will never be lacking. 

​God’s provision is boundless and there is no limit to His generous gifts. What we receive with gratitude, we can freely share with thanksgiving. 


Theme passage:
"You will be abundantly enriched in every way as you give generously on every occasion, … it causes many to give thanks to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11 TPT)