No Thank You
Dave Faust
A little thing can make a big difference—even something as small as a comma.
Maybe you've heard the story about a woman who traveled to Europe back in the days before telephones. In a jewelry store she found a diamond bracelet she wanted to buy, but she wasn't sure her husband would approve of the purchase, so she sent him a telegram: "Diamond bracelet will cost thousands. Should I buy it?" Her husband immediately wired back his firm refusal: "No, price too high!" But the telegraph operator omitted the comma, and the woman received a message that said, "No price too high!" So she happily bought the bracelet.
A comma also makes a big difference in the phrase, "No, thanks"—a polite way to refuse something you don't need or want. Another serving of turkey? "No, thanks." A third piece of Grandma's pumpkin pie? "No, thanks."
Given a choice, many of us might prefer to dismiss several of this year's events with a polite but firm, "No, thanks." Never-ending scandals in Washington, D. C. that make the evening news sound like an ongoing dirty joke? No, thanks. Droughts, hurricanes, and floods? Illnesses, deaths, financial problems, pressures at work, discouraging events at church? No, thanks. If 1998 has seemed filled with more burdens than blessings, you may find yourself approaching Thanksgiving with a lump in your throat, not a song in your heart. In hard times, we're tempted to remove the comma and offer "no thanks" at all.
But ingratitude rots the soul. The Israelites enjoyed the Promised Land's good food and refreshing freedoms, but eventually they drifted into self-sufficiency and gave God no thanks (Deuteronomy 8:6-20; 2 Chronicles 36:15, 16). When Jesus healed 10 men of leprosy, 90 percent of them gave him no thanks (Luke 17:11-19). There's something inappropriate—even unnatural—about ingratitude. If we've experienced God's kindness, only the callousness of sin could make us offer no thanks to him (Romans 1:21).
Instead, the Bible says to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Gratitude isn't just spiritual escapism. It doesn't mean we deny our nation's flaws. But no matter what problems we encounter, grateful people know we can trust God for the future because we appreciate what he's done in the past.
Some of the most grateful people we meet in Scripture also faced some of the toughest hardships. When David was forced to hide in a cave because of King Saul's jealous pursuit, he wrote, "I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations . . . For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies" (Psalm 57:9, 10). When Jesus was only hours from the cross, he gave thanks over the bread and the cup at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26, 27). When the apostle Paul was in prison, he assured his friends that he had "learned the secret of being content in any and every situation" (Philippians 4:13). Paul's gratitude spilled over in spontaneous expressions of praise, like "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Maybe this year hasn't been everything you hoped it would be. Maybe you still have some unresolved questions about God and his goodness. Will you opt for cynicism and unbelief? Will you offer no thanks to the Giver of every good and perfect gift? Will you trade your faith for despair?
No, thanks. It makes more sense to be grateful—even for the little things.
This column first appeared in The Lookout on Nov 22, 1998.
No Pain, No Grain
While driving through a small town the other day, I stopped at a traffic light at the town's main intersection. A building on the corner caught my eye. It was an old, classic-looking structure, with decorative carvings etched into its walls. Graceful woodwork surrounded its front door, covered by many layers of paint.
Not My Style of Music
I don't think I would have liked that kind of music. Thousands of women smacking tambourines while they sang about horses and riders hurled into the sea? No, thanks. I think I'll change the channel.