Monday Morning Manna: How We Say Thanks

Yesterday I began my twenty-fourth interim pastorate. As far as I know, all have been thankful for my service, but not all have expressed their thanks the same way. On the next to last Sunday at a small church, my watch broke, so on the final Sunday they presented me with a very expensive watch, personally engraved on the back. In a very large, rich, soon to be megachurch, they expressed their thanks with an engraved desk clock. One week later I saw the same make and model of the clock at a drug store. Price – $19.95. My most recent interim ended at the same time as my wife having major surgery followed with twelve weeks of being immobile. One adult Sunday School class, realizing that we would not be able to go out to eat for weeks, collected several hundred dollars of restaurant gift cards, enabling us to call in an order, pick it up, and eat at home. Wonderful! Large churches have sometimes given little, and little churches have occasionally given large. You never know. While I appreciate every expression of thanks, I do wonder at times what thinking goes into the gift. When was the last time you thanked your minister? You don’t have to wait till they leave, and you don’t have to give big. You just need to think about the gift before you give it. Trust me! Every sincere expression of thanks will be appreciated. Jesus said, “the laborer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7). If he or she is worthy, think about being thankful, then express your thanks.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.