by Greg Mundis

  Thanks and Giving

It is my guess that many of you had the privilege of celebrating Thanksgiving just a few short days ago. Although Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, the spirit of Thanksgiving is not uniquely American. Being thankful is not necessarily Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Agnostic, Atheist, or whatever religion one practices. It is gratitude. This gratitude cuts across religion, gender, ethnicity, age, and social status.

Think about it—when one expresses thanks it reveals an attitude of the heart. It reveals that a person does not let pride or arrogance rule them but reveals a sense of humility in the person. Society does not talk much about humility, but it is a virtue and represents an invaluable treasure. The treasure is that we need someone else to help us. Thanksgiving represents interdependence and is like the links in the chain. The chain can function to the best of its ability when the links are joined. When the link is alone it does not have the capacity to perform to the best of its ability. 

Take time to look around you! Are you a link in a chain of interdependence or are you a link and independent? It has been said, “No man is an island.” Take some time to thank your family members that make you a better person. Take some time to thank your friends that make you a better person. There are others in your life; take time to thank them, too. 

Perhaps life has treated you very unfairly. Perhaps family and friends have not been the links that you needed, and you have suffered because of this. Can I encourage you to give thanks? Why? Because every person (bad or good) who has contributed to our life has forced us to decide how we handle the good and the bad. The decision to be thankful or not is ultimately up to the person. We can become a bitter person or we can become a better person because of our attitude.

As a Christian, I recognized that my relationship to God and others was broken because of my disobedience and rebellion against Him and against society. That brokenness was healed when I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sin and come to live in my life. He restored my relationship to God. Of all the thankfulness I have in my heart to my wife, children, parents, siblings, friends, and, yes, even enemies, my greatest thanks goes to Jesus being born of a virgin, living a sinless life, dying an unjust death, rising from the dead, and reigning in heaven. He put the thanks and the giving in Thanksgiving for me.

May your Thanksgiving be filled with much joy that comes only from Him!

Greg Mundis
AGWM Europe Regional Director

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