Monday Morning Manna: Thankfulness Times Three

Many years ago, in the midst of a Thanksgiving sermon, I decided to ad lib. I suggested that everyone think of three people for whom they were thankful and tell them of their thankfulness. After the sermon, my wife asked me who my three people were. I really hadn’t thought about it. The sermon was for others, right? But I decided to take my own advice and thank three people. I have no idea why I challenged that congregation to thank three people, and surely no idea where the number three came from, but it was such a rewarding experience, I have repeated it every year since. Have I run out of people? Not a chance! God keeps bringing people into my life or allowing me to re-new long-ago friendships every year around this time, I have no problem identifying three people for whom to thank. The Bible encourages us to “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34). So, I challenge you not only to remember to be thankful this year, but think of a few people, perhaps even three people, for whom you are especially thankful, and tell them so. Robert Lewis Stevenson wrote, “The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.”

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