Give Thanks

         Do people show you appreciation and "thank you" when you do a favor for them?  If you let another vehicle pull out in front of you do they always wave "thank you"?   If you hold a door open for another person, do they say "thank you"?  If you provide some information that a person has requested, do they say "thank you"?  I guess I would answer those questions by saying "sometimes", but maybe not as often as folks used to.  I guess I feel that the act of having good manners and showing appreciation and saying thanks is becoming a lost skill.
        Maybe showing appreciation needs to be taught.  Like many parents we have had to train our boys to say thank you.  It doesn't appear to be a natural reaction.  When I was commander of Awana I often had to remind clubbers that it was proper to say "thank you" when receiving an award.  Many learned to do so, but others never did.
         For 12 years I served as Judge of Elections for our precinct.  It was a lot of work with little pay but generally we enjoyed it and we worked with such a nice team.  But we decided that it was time to retire.  Now never did anybody at the county election board ever say thank you for serving.  The only response that I ever received from them was that I once packed their electrical cords in the wrong place.  Maybe if I had known my work was appreiated I might have continued a few more years.  But I guess that is the way that government acts.  It's a wonder that folks continue to serve when they aren't appreciated.
         Recently I received an e-mail from a church member after I responded to their request for some information about gifts for their missionary trip.  They thanked me for doing that for them and I admit that I was shocked and pleased.  Do you know that in 12 years of handling the finances for our church that is the first time that I received thanks for doing this. Some years I provide 160 or more receipts and I keep individual records for gifts for trips - about 40 this year.  But I guess folks just expect that this will be done for them.  I prepare over 300 end of year giving receipts and the only time I hear about them is when somebody has lost their receipt and quickly needs another copy to take to their tax preparer.  It is often expected that I will provide this for them almost immediately.  Now I don't do this work for thanks and I'm not looking for any sympathy.  I do it because God has given me the gifts to do so.  But, unfortunately, even Christians can be demanding and not appreciative.  And churches can be the least appreciative of anybody.  Church leadership wants folks to serve, but they seldom, if ever, show their appreciation to those who do volunteer.
          Now there is one exception that I must mention.  Our Awana staff has always been overly appreciative of our leadership.  Notes of thanks, annual gifts at our banquet, and even standing ovations have been given to us.  While it is embarrassing at times, it is special because we work with such good people and we know their responses are sincere.
        But sometimes it is hard to show your appreciation when folks don't accept it.  For about 30 years we have made it a personal project to thank our Awana staff for their service by providing an annual buffet banquet for them at the end of the Awana year. The last few years we have gone to the Conferene Center at Millersville University.  It cost us about $32 a person and we only charge them $6 as a way to thank them.  We announce it a year in advance so they can reserve the night.  And despite this, about one third of the staff don't come.  And this year we had to even pay for six staff members who bought tickets and then didn't come.  This is always so disappointing to us personally because it is our special opportunity to provide a special night for them to say thank you.  I will never understand this, but at least we try.
          But problems with showing and accepting appreciation aren't really that new.  I have always been perplexed by the time that Jesus miraculously healed ten lepers.  Of the ten, only one came back to thank Jesus for this miracle that changed their lives.  I've never really been able to comprehend this story.
          But as I've shared these stories and examples, I am reminded first that it is our responsibility to serve the Lord and use our gifts, no matter what the response.  We are serving Him first and our rewards will be in heaven.  But secondly, we have a responsibility to be thankful.  We need to look for those who serve, especially in our church ministries, and share our appreciation with them.  But, thirdly, and most importantly, we need to continually thank our Lord for His grace and mercy and goodness.  I think often we fail to do this.  God is so good and faithful to us, all the time, and we need to continually live thankful lives before Him.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."