Advent Devotional by Andrew Nash

Philippians 1:3-11

I thank my God every time I remember you. (Philippians 1:3)

The act of writing thank-you notes and being thankful are often thought about in terms of how they affect the thank-er. The thank-er learns to be appreciative of what others do or give. The thank-er gains humility by recognizing the beneficial action of others. The thank-er displays gratitude, which is a beneficial trait.

Even the phrase “giving thanks” quietly positions the thank-er in an active voice and the thank-ee passively receiving thanks.

But my Mom taught me a lesson one year in how I wrote thank-you notes: It’s not just about you; it’s also about them. My thank-you notes had a lot more “I”s and “me”s than “you”s and “your”s.

Being grateful is not just about the thank-er. It also is beneficial for the thank-ee. The thank-ee gains re-assurance that their gifts are worthwhile and appreciated. The thank-ee gains encouragement in their giving. The thank-ee learns that their act of love is reciprocated.

Giving thanks can easily be seen as directional: Person X gives to Person Y, and Person Y gives thanks to Person X in return. Rather, both sides benefit from giving thanks, and the relationship benefits. It is better to think of giving and giving thanks together. Together, they are not directional, but foundational. They are the building blocks of relationships.

Andrew Nash