Cultivating a Fruitful Life with Gratitude

Spiritual Advantage with Sam Stone

There’s a couple living in Phoenix, AZ. The husband calls his son in New York City the day before Thanksgiving and says, “I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.”

“Pop, what are you talking about?” the son screams. “Well, we can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” the father says. “We’re sick of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her.”

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. “Like heck, they’re getting divorced?” she shouts, “No, I’ll take care of this!”

She calls Phoenix immediately and screams at her father, “You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. “Okay, darling,” he says, “they’re coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way.”

---

You’ve learned a trick to get your family together for Thanksgiving. Are you ready for your Thanksgiving? As for me, Sophie and I have officially become empty-nesters this year since our youngest has graduated and found a job away from home. Thanksgiving gatherings have become less convenient as our three children live in three different states.

How about you? Are all your children coming home to celebrate? I hope so. A friend told me yesterday that they were expecting fifty family members this Thanksgiving. That’s becoming rare nowadays.

What do you do during Thanksgiving other than eating and shopping? What do you give thanks to? Some families have a tradition of going around the table with each person, sharing what they are thankful for. I thank for my mom; I thank for my home; I thank for my car; I thank for my jobs, etc.

I wonder why not many people talk about thanking God for God. It seems God is worthy of giving thanks only for the good things we get from God. Can we thank God for unanswered prayers? Can we thank God for just being God?

Some people cannot thank God for God because they have become cynical. If there’s a God, why is there so much suffering on earth? Why are there wars, injustice, and disasters around the world? Why do bad things happen to good people? Etc.

Can we believe that God is all good and evil happens apart from God? The truth is God is all good. Realizing God is all good can make a significant difference in your life. You will discover an attitude of gratitude beyond words. You will want to thank God for God, not just for what God has given you. Your life will be more fruitful as a result.

We will explore this subject based on Jesus’ Parable of the Talents, one of the last parables he told before he went to the cross. This parable is important because it teaches us how to cultivate a fruitful life through the attitude of gratitude. Let’s begin!