V. Norskov Olson tells a legend about a man who found the barn where Satan kept his seeds ready to be sown in the human heart. There were seeds of jealousy and greed to turn people in toward themselves; seeds of discord and war to turn people against their neighbors; seeds of racism, sexism and the other “isms” that make people think that outside differences in people are truly meaningful.
He found the seeds of discouragement more numerous than others, and learned that those seeds could be made to grow almost anywhere. When Satan was questioned, he reluctantly admitted that there was one place in which he could never get the seeds of discouragement to thrive. "And where is that?" asked the man. Satan replied sadly, "In the heart of a grateful person."
There was a young boy who liked to climb on the roof. One day he began slipping down the slope and he called out, “Help me God!” Suddenly his shirt snagged a nail and he stopped sliding. He caught his breath and said, “Never mind God. I’m okay now.” Sometimes we fail to recognize how God is at work in our lives, attributing our successes to luck or circumstance, or to our own hard work.
God has given us the talents and skills to help us succeed. God provides opportunities to use those talents to help our neighbors. In this Thanksgiving season, may you be more aware than ever of how God is blessing you, your family and your church. I am especially aware of how God continues to bless me through each of you.
Gratefully yours,
