If you had ever met the old Indian grandfather, you probably wouldn't have thought that he had much to be thankful for. He lived in one room, cooked his own meals and supported himself by collecting old pieces of lumber and making small benches to sell in the market. He never made much money but always greeted us cheerfully in his Indian language. The secret to his thankfulness and happiness was that he knew that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins.
One day my husband visited the old grandfather and found him working diligently with a saw so worn that it had as few teeth as the old grandfather himself. My husband brought him over to our house and gave him a new saw which we had recently purchased. That's when we found out just how thankful the old man was. His Indian tongue poured out his thanks and he even got down on his knees. My husband quickly pulled him again to his feet.
When they came to the kitchen my husband warned me, "You are about to be thanked." Sure enough, his thankful heart poured forth again to me. I thought he was going to give me the local customary handshake, but instead he grabbed me and kissed my cheek and then kissed both my hands! I assured him that he was most welcome in Spanish (which he didn't understand) and he left the house with his tongue still clicking away with his Indian "Thank you."
Needless to say, we had been "thanked" until we were embarrassed. Who could imagine all those words—whatever they were—for a new saw? Just the same, I think you and I can learn something from that old Indian grandfather. We take the many good things that God gives us and seldom remember the One who most deserves our thanks.
Did you thank God for your breakfast this morning? Have you ever thanked Him for your family and friends or other things that you value? Is it possible that you have never thanked God for anything? Perhaps it is because you are not saved. If your heart is still stained with sin, you need the Lord Jesus, the only Savior of sinners. He alone can cleanse your heart from sin. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
May you come to the Lord Jesus for salvation and say with the old grandfather, and with us, Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift (2 Cor. 9:1515Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)). For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).