Givers and Takers

Uh oh. The “Mooch” is back. This morning I noticed the black-crowned night heron returned to hang out on our deck. Since I love the birds here in FL at first this delighted me. Then I realized if you give a bird a shrimp, he won’t leave anytime soon. Last time he stayed for 2 days until he figured out we weren’t going to feed him his favorite shrimp anymore! I didn’t want a return to the poop fest the birds in MD left every year for us when they built their nests. So seeing the Mooch return this morning wasn’t an encouraging sign.

Isn’t that how we feel about people who only take from us and give nothing in return?

I grew up learning the importance of writing thank you notes and I taught my kids to do the same. Did you know God notices when we give thanks to Him too? In Luke 17:11-19 Jesus tells the story of his healing 10 lepers. Only 1 returned to give praise to God for the healing and Jesus called out the 9 who did not say thank you.

Expressing gratitude is a way we give back to God that interrupts our natural tendency to become takers who only take for granted all we’ve been given. How can you express your thanks to God today for someone in your life who excels in giving?

Lord, thank you for the gift of my friend, Evelyn, who treated me to a London Fog drink and a “catch up” this morning at a local coffee shop.