The Importance of Saying Thank You

When is the last time you wrote a thank you note? I ask this because saying 'thank you' is very important. Have you sent a 'thank you' email or text message recently? Have you said 'thank you' in any way to anyone at all?Let's do a quick Bible study about being thankful. According to Eph 5:20, being thankful is a key indicator that you are following the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

• Eph 5:18 commands me to "be filled with the Spirit." This means to submit my mind and behavior to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, rather than succumbing to other inappropriate influences, like alcohol. What does this look like?
• Eph 5:19-20 lists three results of doing this: a heart that sings, a mouth that gives thanks and a mind that places the interests of other fellow believers in front of you.

When you yield to the will of God in your daily life choices, he puts a song in your heart, gives you respect for others and gives you a deep appreciation. What kind of appreciation? Appreciation at all times and for all kinds of things.Are you thankful for all kinds of things at all times? When you are not, you are not yielding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, but are succumbing to some other influence instead.So consider doing something special this week. Ask God to help you give thanks, and find ways to express this thanks to other fellow Christians. A 'thank you' email or text or a personal word of thanks are always appropriate. And if you have a few moments, a stamp, a note card, an envelope and a pen, pause to write a few lines to say 'thank you' to somebody for something they have said, something they have done or something about who they are that has blessed your life.Can you think of anyone at all? When you do, take this step of saying thank you, and you will experience the joy of Jesus and the leadership of His Spirit in your heart.Now, allow me to give a word of caution. Whenever you say 'thank you' to someone, don't do this as a way to flatter them or to boost your own personal image. Instead, express your thanks as a way of recognizing how God is using that person to bless your life (consider Paul's personal greetings in Rom 16:1-16 as an example).Properly understood, saying 'thank you' to another person is a way to say 'thank you' to God. That's what Eph 5:20 emphasizes. So it is always appropriate to tell another person, "I thank God for you."