PRAYER
Merciful Father, my heart overflows with gratitude for all that you have done and for all that you will do in our future. Lord, history has witnessed the greatest sacrifice ever made, the sacrifice of your Lamb, blameless and pure. Father, thank you for you Son who has saved us from sin and renews our soul. God of all, we owe our everything to you, in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
The Bible is filled with the concept of expressing gratitude to God and to others. If gratitude is to benefit those for whom we are grateful, it must be expressed.
What many people fail to understand is that gratitude can be expressed in many languages. Do you speak any of these languages?
Author Gary Chapman, PhD explains in his book - The 5 Love Languages.
1. Words of Affirmation
There are many ways of expressing gratitude through words of affirmation: verbally as I did with Eric, and through emails, text messages and handwritten letters or cards.
Whatever method you choose to use, words of affirmation are powerful expressions of gratitude. The ancient Hebrew proverb says, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21).
2. Giving Gifts
Recently I attended a memorial service for one of our church members. A woman there said, "Betty was one of my best friends." Then, she pointed to a bracelet on her wrist and said, "Betty gave it to me. She was wearing it one day, and I commented on its beauty. She took it off, handed it to me, and said, 'I appreciate your friendship so much, I want you to have it.'"
Betty was speaking the language of giving gifts. For many, a gift speaks much more deeply than words. The gift is a constant reminder that they are loved and appreciated.
3. Acts of Service
The third language of gratitude is acts of service—doing something as an expression of gratitude, such as mowing the grass for a friend who means much to you and who is no longer able to do that chore. Or using your computer skills to help someone who is two steps behind you technically but perhaps miles ahead of you in another area.
This language involves taking the skills God has given you and using them to speak appreciation to someone. It communicates, "I appreciate you, and I want to help you."
You may remember the old saying, "Actions speak louder than words." For some people this is true. They cherish acts of service as expressions of gratitude.
4. Undivided Attention
We all are busy. This is why spending time with someone whose gratitude language is undivided attention speaks volumes.
There are many ways this language of gratitude can be expressed, such as inviting a friend to your house for dessert or attending a ball game with a grandchild. The purpose is to communicate gratitude by taking time to get to know them better. You are giving a portion of your life to that individual. For many, this is the clearest language of gratitude.
5. Touch
There are no touchless societies. Appropriate touches communicate I care about you, I appreciate you. In our culture, these touches may be pats on the back, high fives, fist bumps, and appropriate hugs. With younger grandchildren, it may be letting them sit on your lap as you read them a Bible story. For some, affirming physical touch is a powerful indicator that you appreciate them.
Every person in your life has a dominant gratitude language. By nature, we speak our own language. So check out his book for tips on discovering the primary gratitude languages of others. Learning to speak those languages can improve your relationships at home, at work, and at church. In the process, you'll become a better communicator of the overflowing love of God.
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