操练感恩三
阅读经文：腓立比书 1:3-4，民数记 6:24-26
当你开始说话时，父母可能就教你说“谢谢”。
父母教导孩子这基本礼貌并不令人意外。因为表达感恩，会让关系更加稳固。一句发自内心的“谢谢”不仅能让他人感到被欣赏，也提醒我们彼此之间是互相依赖的。
“谢谢”不是你离开童年后就不再需要表达的词语。
腓立比书的作者为我们树立了榜样：“我每逢想念你们，就感谢我的神；每逢为你们众人祈求的时候，常是欢欢喜喜地祈求。”（腓立比书 1:3-4）
在旧约中，人们彼此祝福来表达感恩。圣经中最著名的祝福之一是：“愿耶和华赐福给你，保护你；愿耶和华使祂的脸光照你，赐恩给你。”（民数记 6:24-25）
当你向别人表达感恩，就如同神的脸光照你们二人。一句真诚的“谢谢”能彰显对方的美善，并使其流露出来。
操练：
今天向三个人说“谢谢”——可以是熟人，也可以是偶然遇见的人。
具体表达感恩。指出对方做得好的地方，以及你看到的美善。例如：“谢谢你这么快回复我的邮件。我注意到你很用心工作，透过工作你真正在爱身边的人。”
记录别人对你真诚感谢的反应。他听到“谢谢”时，脸上有什么变化？你表达感恩后感觉如何？
一天结束时，反思你的感恩操练。
祷告：
神啊，感谢祢赐给我生命中的这些人。求祢赐福给他们。感谢他们给予我的各样祝福，帮助我说“谢谢”。奉耶稣的名，阿们。
引自：https://zh-hant.theologyofwork.org/devotions/practicing-gratitude
Practicing Gratitude, Part 3
Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:3-4, Number 6:24-26
As soon as you started to talk, your parents probably taught you to say, “thank you.”
It’s no surprise that parents teach children this basic rule. Relationships grow stronger when you express gratitude. A heartfelt “thank you” makes other people feel appreciated. And it reminds you of your dependence upon other people.
Saying “thank you” isn’t something you grow out of when you leave childhood.
The writer of the letter to the Philippians modeled practicing gratitude for other people. “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you” (Philippians 1:3–4).
In the Old Testament, people express gratitude to one another by blessing them. One of the most famous biblical blessings reads, “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:24–25).
When you express your gratitude to someone else, it can be as if God is shining his face on both of you. A sincere “thank you” points out the good in another person and brings it to the surface.
Practice:
Say, “thank you” to three people today. It could be someone you know well, or someone you only meet in passing.
Use specifics. Point out exactly what the other person did and the good that you see in them. For example, you could say: “Thank you for responding so quickly to my email. I notice you put a lot of care into your work. You really love the people around you through your work.”
Make a note of how someone reacts to a genuine “thank you.” Did the person’s face change when they heard it? How did you feel after expressing your gratitude?
At the end of your day today, reflect on your gratitude experiment.
Prayer: God, thank you for the people in my life. Give them your blessing. Help me say “thank you” for the ways they bless me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Exploration: Read a personal story about expressing gratitude at work.
Quote:
Called To Work dcrandall-keeptouch.com@shared1.ccsend.com, Mon, Mar 3, 1:31 PM