Are you taking someone for granted?
“But you will not always have me.”
— Mark 14:6 (NIV)
Have you ever wondered what keeps us from being thankful?
I think it’s because we’ve become too familiar with our blessings and take things for granted.
Jesus gave us an example of this. He was at a dinner reclining at the table with a few familiar friends. A woman came to the dinner and poured perfume on his head. Others were perplexed as they watched her bathe him with expensive perfume.
The disciples thought she was being indignant and wasting her perfume. Jesus informed them she was showing her appreciation for him and realized one day he would be gone.
The disciples ate with Jesus every day and took his presence for granted. She was more aware of his worth and value.
Last year, my sons had an opportunity to have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas with their father. For several years there were some hard feelings and distance between two of my sons and their dad. But God blessed them with a reconciliation.
Three days after a joyous Christmas celebration they found their father passed away overnight from a heart attack.
This left a void in their life, but they felt blessed because they had come to forgiveness and an appreciation for one another.
This Thanksgiving we need to look at whom in our lives we take for granted.
Siblings, spouses and friends can take each other for granted. God wants us to value the people he places in our life.
Let’s open our hearts and give a kind word of appreciation to someone God has placed in our path. Even if they don’t appreciate us back, we can enjoy the freedom from regret this leaves us with when we have a grateful heart for another.
Ÿ Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She will be speaking at a Christmas Tea for women at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, at First Christian Church, 6086 Gages Lake Road, Gurnee. Annettee will be presenting a special Christmas message of hope. R.S.V.P. to Brenda Medirios at (847) 336-5290 or bjmed21@att.net