Blessing Basket

"Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted." – Adlous Huxley

The Gospel of Luke shares an insightful story about ten lepers who besieged Jesus Christ to heal them as he entered a village. Leprosy is a loathsome disease that causes disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage, and infected individuals were required to agonize together in leper colonies. After healing them, only one of the ten returned to express profound thanks, and Christ asked: “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” (Luke 17: 17)

On this day of thanksgiving I want to share some thoughts on not only the important principle of gratitude, but also how ingratitude may be one of the root causes of some of our problems. The nine lepers who did not express gratitude for being healed were also infected with an attitude of ingratitude. They enjoyed the blessings of being healed, but lacked the capacity to express thanks to the healer.

We can find many visible examples in our community of people who are also infected with ingratitude as you observe graffiti painted on public buildings, rising crime rates, and social injustices inflicted on those considered “lesser” in society. Such acts of ingratitude are self-centered and exhibit an unhealthy pride that allows these individuals to treat things and people with contempt.

An ubiquitous example of ingratitude can be seen at our littered beaches and public areas. This eyesore demonstrates to our visitors a lack of appreciation for the beauty of the islands by the people who live here. Unless there was a beach cleanup a few days before, you can go to practically any public area after a weekend of partying and find trash strewn around by those who have a lack of gratitude for the remarkable beauty they take for granted.

Gordon Hinckley stated, “Our society is afflicted by a spirit of thoughtless arrogance unbecoming those who have been so magnificently blessed. How grateful we should be for the bounties we enjoy. Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief.”

A cure for the disease of ingratitude is to express thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. Even in the difficult times we are experiencing, there are many ways to express gratitude. In fact, the more we express our appreciation and thanks for our blessings, the more we are aware of how much we are blessed.

Bonnie Parkin shares with us that gratitude opens our mind to a universe permeated with richness, and we can become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction, and inspires happiness. Basically, if you want to be happier, become more grateful.

We should even be thankful for the challenges we face in life because each challenge can make us stronger and help us learn a valuable lesson. One family was going through a difficult time and they decided to express gratitude for each other and the many blessing they shared. A close friend pointed out that the family’s “blessing basket” was overflowing.

From that conversation developed a game where each person would talk about how their day had gone and then share all of the many blessings that had been added to their “blessing basket.” The more gratitude that was expressed, the more grateful they became. Like the one leper that returned to give thanks, this family felt the love of the Lord in a significant way as more opportunities for growth became apparent.

Think about all the things you have to be thankful for in your life. By expressing your gratitude, it makes you consciously aware of, and focus on all the good things that are happening in your life on a daily basis. Changing the way you look at things, changes the things you look at. The miracle of expressing gratitude is that it can heal relationships, build stronger families, and set up a pattern for personal happiness. Share your gratitude with others and you’ll find that your “blessing basket” will overflow with bounteous blessings. Happy Thanksgiving.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." – John F. Kennedy