Published 11/28/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
“Your dad and I are going shopping for a few hours,” Mom tells you. “You and your big sister have a good afternoon. Oh, and don’t forget to do your chores.”
A few hours with just my sis and me on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, you think. Hmmm, what can we do?
I’m going into the family room to watch TV,” your sister announces.
“TV? On a day like this? What a waste of time!”
“Sorry, I didn’t sleep too well last night, so I’m just looking for a nice couch to take a nap on. Try to be quiet, OK?”
“OK.”
Heading into your room, you notice it needs a little straightening up. Forty-five minutes later the room is immaculate. You even cleaned your closet and under the bed! Mom and Dad will really be impressed with this, you think.
Looking out your window you notice that leaves have covered the ground. Dad always has to rake those leaves alone. Maybe I’ll...
And with that you head outside, grab a rake from the garage and start raking. Taking only one short water break, you finish the job in just about an hour. You even put all the leaves in plastic bags and stack them neatly on the sidewalk for the trash man to pick up on Monday. The yard looks great!
Going back inside, you notice that the kitchen is a mess. Might as well go for it. And in just twenty minutes all the dishes are washed and the counters cleaned. All this work will probably double my allowance this week, you think, while also wondering how you’re going to spend the extra cash.
Over the next hour and a half you keep up the pace: vacuuming the whole house, folding clothes, dusting, straightening up. Just as you’re about ready to go sweep the garage, Mom and Dad drive up.
Getting out of the car, we head in with our packages. No comments about the yard. As you follow us around, asking how our shopping was, we walk back to our bedroom. Not a word comes from our lips about the shape of the house.
By the time you’re in bed you realize we didn’t notice. You got no reward, no thanks, no nothing.
Questions to Think On
• How would you feel if you did all that stuff and didn’t get rewarded, not even with a thank-you?
• Do you ever think God feels the way you do? (That is, is he doing stuff for you all the time that you’re not thanking him for?)
• Would you consider yourself a thankful person? Do you find it easy or hard to recognize when something’s been done for you?
• What would it take for you to be more thankful?
What Does God Have to Say?
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(c)
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