When in 1996 a local Secondary School opened, the staff decided to create a tradition to prepare Christmas Hampers for those in need. Each advisory cla (of around 18 students G9-12) would adopt a family to help out. The students only know how many in the family, ages of the children, and whether they have any food allergies. Every year, 65 70 hampers are delivered to families. I ide each hamper is a note from the school principal wishing the family a Merry Christmas and a healthy and ha y new year. It explai how the hamper was put together by the students and adds (I quote) We hope that this hamper will bring you joy at this ecial time of year as it was put together with much love and care
What would you think the experience of delivering a hamper would be? In my minds eye I would imagine this scenario knocking at the door, and seeing the face of the mother light up, excited voices and delighted faces of children gathering at the door to receive the four or five large boxes, all wra ed in Christmas paper being delivered. I would imagine seeing the relief and gratitude on the mothers face, perha moist eyes, as she realizes there will be plenty of food to go round this Christmas. She may feel, perha , amazement and a little overwhelmed that total strangers would go out of their way to be so generous. Seeing those things would be all the reward those students needed for their selfle giving, and what a memory to have in the impre ionable teenage years.
Unfortunately this imagined scene is not reality in the experience of the school. One of the teachers told me one of three things normally ha en. When the hampers are delivered (either by the teacher or a trusted Grade 12 student), sometimes there is a thank you, sometimes a terse "put it over there", and sometimes no one a wers the door.
Now I understand that its is embarra ing and humbling to receive, and many people find it very difficult, and may not be able to show their a reciation in person. There are other ways to show gratitude and say thank you, a thank you note to the school, a phone call or a letter. Sadly this seldom ha e . I was shocked!! The school has probably prepared over 700 hampers since 1996, and seldom received any acknowledgement whatsoever. The teachers rea ure the students that the hampers were a reciated, and the school kee on giving. At this time the students are pla ing how they can help the victims of the tsunami. The teachers comment The students are amazing!
There is a well-known saying that it is better to give than receive; I would say that it is also easier to give than receive. I dont know why it is so hard to show real a reciation when we receive something, but it is not just a cultural or generational problem.
In the go el of Luke we learn that it was difficult over 2000 years ago. Leprosy is a terrible disease that eats away at a perso flesh, and is very contagious. In biblical times there was no cure. To have leprosy meant living outside the town, being ostracized from society, no longer able to live a normal life with your family, maybe never being able to hug your children, only being able to eak to them or see them from a distance. If you had leprosy you had to walk about warning people by ringing a bell and shouting unclean, unclean so people would keep away from you. Can you imagine living like that! Jesus met ten of these lepers one day, and told them to show themselves to the priest, as they went they were healed. Not only was the pain and suffering gone, but also it also meant, their life style was to be tra formed, they could be reunited with their family, work, and be part of community again. Lukes account tells us that one of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He THREW himself at Jesus feet and thanked him. Luke then added, and he was a Samaritan, an enemy of the Israel, who would not know or worship God. Only one out of ten showed gratitude for such a huge life-changing miracle!
We are so ble ed by God and by the people around us. Yet in a society, which seeks i tant satisfaction, it is easy to take many things for granted and not really demo trate a reciation. We are raised to say thank you, but so often it comes out of our mouths automatically with out really thinking about how grateful and a reciative we are. Our society has much expectatio - good service, to be served, to have meals, to be warm and comfortable in a home, and because were used to this kind of life style its easy to lose a se e of gratitude and a reciation. Saying thank you is sufficient, and is the right thing to do, yet have you co idered how by going out of our way to show a reciation we can ble others and make them feel valued. When we show a reciation, we can make such a difference to someones day. A thank you note, a surprise gift, a letter commending good customer service to an employer, or a smile and a word of a reciation to the cashier at the checkout are some of many ways we can show gratitude. Often showing a reciation, a short time after someone has ble ed us, touches a perso heart, as it demo trates that what he or she did was noticed and a reciated. It costs us so little to take a moment to take someone aside to say thanks, you did a good job, and yet it can mean so much!
Being a thankful people is Gods heart for us. Scripture tells us many times to give thanks, give thanks to God, and also to those around us. To be known as a person who is thankful, showing gratitude and a reciation for all things that we have been given reflects Gods love to the world around us Our life is a gift, our health, all we have, and all the ways that people serve and give to us are gifts, not rights we can demand or expect. Col 2v7 encourages us to be overflowing in thankfulne . Let 2005 be a year when we grow in our thankfulne , and take more time to show others our a reciation for them as individuals, and the things that they do.
Barbara White, a former Principal and teacher, is now president of Beyond Better Development. As a eaker and author, Barbara brings her pa ion and expertise to work with people to help them grow towards excellence and their unique potential in their personal and profe ional life. For more information visit her we ite, http://www.livingbeyondbetter.com and sign up for her free newsletter "Growing Beyond Better".
barbara@livingbeyondbetter.com
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