In Col
2:7, Paul exhorts the Colossians to be “overflowing with thankfulness”, which
to my mind evokes the image of carrying a full cup of water and walking about.
If someone were to bump into me, I would be spilling over the water from the
cup. I believe this was the imagery that Paul was using, that when a Christian
is bumped into, thankfulness is what overflows. Jesus taught in Luke 6:45:
“The good person out of the good treasure of
his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil,
for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
What comes out of you when you get bumped
into? Is it marked with anger, jealousy, bitterness and strife? Or can you cast
that aside and labor to instead be reminded of God’s goodness, His love that
has saved you? Thankfulness is not an automatic or reflex response. It is much
easier to be spiteful, hateful and thankless, like a stone rolling downhill.
But thankfulness needs effort and labor, like rolling a stone uphill. Let us be
continually reminded (and to remind our young ones also) of the love God has
for us, for in His love, our hearts cannot but respond with gratitude.
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