Small Gifts

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
 I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”
—Psalm 9:1

Several weeks back, Stephanie and I were blessed to go and see The Star Wars in Concert (it may score a high nerd factor rating, but the show was nonetheless fantastic). We received these two tickets as an early Christmas present from her dad. In addition, we also ended up with a free dinner at Chick-fil-A before the concert thanks to a former co-worker of Stephanie’s who is now a manager at that location.

So after sliding into a booth and setting our trays in front of us, I was overcome with gratitude to the near point of tears. A date-night with my beautiful bride, a unique concert we most likely would not have ever gotten to attend, and a free dinner—all provided by our Heavenly Father. This evening was a gift from God, provided through the generosity of others (and topped with a gentle spirit nudge to remember the tickets the night before).

And yet I had to wonder, why do I not feel this more often? We have been blessed far more than with a pleasant evening. We have a new home, two working vehicles, good health, full stomachs, and most importantly a wonderful, happy, healthy child. More than that, we have been forgiven of every wrong, risen from spiritual death and reborn into new life. We have been credited the righteousness of another, and now live in freedom from our chosen rebellion.

Why does this alone not bring me to my knees in gratitude every time I consider it? How have I become so callous to miss, not just the nuance blessings of life, but the very essence of existence?

However, maybe that is the point. How can we grasp the depth of any good book without noticing the profundity of its elements? A story comes to life as we better understand its tone, its plot, and its characters. And to appreciate a character, you must study his idiosyncrasies. We may gather the greater concept from the beginning, but to fully comprehend the big picture, we must appreciate the finer details of every stroke of the pen.

I conclude that each small gift is a lesson in gratitude. Our ability to thank the person who bought and wrapped the present under the tree is merely a preliminary step to thanking the God from “whom all blessings flow.” And with each “thank you” we grow into a greater realization to the bigger gifts that God has given us.