Step 3: A Grateful Heart

I was contracted to manage a team of developers for an oil and gas company a few years ago. It was the end of the day of a long and hard workweek and one of my co-workers came by to say “good night”. I quickly said “good night” as well and went about completing my business. I had a few hours left to go and was focused on getting it done in time so I could be home to be with my family.

At that moment, my boss called me into his office. His office was next to mine and he had overheard the quick response I gave his employee. I sat down in his office and he reminded me that as managers, we should always take the time to say, “thank you” to the people we work with. When someone says “good night”, we should not blow it off with another “good night”, but take the time to thank them for the hard work they did that day and a simple “thank you” was all that was needed to do that.

That simple message changed the way I talk in my relationships today. I believe it goes further than that. The act of giving thanks, shows us who we are as Christians, it’s one of the key characteristic of our being Christ-like.

Ephesians 5:15-21 says; “Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.

Step 3 in helping you give praise to God is having a grateful heart. We are part of His plan through Christ Jesus. We are His ambassadors. We carry His name by the measure of our thankfulness in our daily lives.