Breaking Bread in Their Homes
Living in a prosperous country is a blessing in many ways, but it has downsides. One of those downsides is entitlement, the attitude that says I deserve to always have all I’m accustomed to. Before Hurricane Irma hit Florida, a TV reporter asked a young mom with a baby on her hip what she feared most about the hurricane. Her first words were, “Being without the internet for a week,” as she held her phone up to the camera. Not the safety of her child, which I suppose she assumed she could protect. Across the Gulf from Florida millions of Houstonians experienced a values lesson that was about to visit this woman. Mountains of furniture, cabinets, and personal belongings now piled in front of thousands of homes in southeast Texas became a testament to the temporary and a vivid reminder of what matters most: family not fluff.
Though I have no idea why God allows natural disasters like hurricanes, I have watched, as have you, many positive results, the most oft repeated being, “We have what matters most, our family. We are grateful.” Entitlement grows from self-importance and a heart of pride, while gratitude grows from humility, the attitude that says I don’t deserve all that I have. Gratitude acknowledges the truth that “Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father” (James 1:17).
The early church in this verse modeled for us today a very simple way to nurture gratitude in your home. Giving thanks for every meal is a reminder to your children and to your own heart that God’s kindness has provided the abundance of food we enjoy. His goodness to us is not deserved, so in humility let us give Him thanks for the bounty before us.
May you honor Him today at home with a grateful heart.