The Power of Appreciation

When we are children our parents try to teach us manners. They emphasise “please” and “thank you”, and there are a lot of “may I” and “can I” and “excuse me”. “Thank you” is an acknowledgement that I have noticed that someone has done something good for me. It is also an expression of appreciation for that good thing.

A friend of mine flew planes for Missionary Aviation Fellowship in the Northern Territory. He once told me that it was common for aboriginal people to leave his plane without any comment. He said it was not part of their culture to say “thank you” to someone who was just doing their job.

That reminds me of Luke 17: 9-10 where Jesus appeals to first century culture, to say that we should not look for appreciation simply for doing our duty. Interestingly the story of the ten lepers who are healed follows immediately after this.

Ten lepers are healed, but only one comes back to say “Thank you.” In this case the appreciation is commended. The other nine were healed, so “thank you” was not required by Jesus for the healing to happen, but the fact that one person showed appreciation says something about the quality of that person, and their recognition of what has been done, and who has done it. He came back to Jesus praising God with a loud voice.

As a leper, he was already an outcast who could not be close to people and must cry out a warning if he was in public. But he was also a Samaritan. From a Jewish perspective he was an outcast in a double way. It was this double outcast who praised God.

Maybe the others, who we presume to have been Jews, were more focussed on doing their legal duty; showing that they were healed to the priest, so they could return to their normal life. This was in fact what Jesus had told them to do. Maybe the Samaritan was more focussed on the wonder of what had happened; the amazing gift he had received, and for him the legal requirements could wait so that he could show appreciation.

We are encouraged to praise God, not because God needs to hear our praise and thanks, but because we need to offer it. Thanksgiving is our acknowledgement of what has been done for us and that recognition has the power to change our lives, our relationships and our faith.

A life of appreciation has us looking for beautiful things and people to appreciate. We become more conscious of our own gifts as we appreciate them and develop a very positive view of life. We tend to see positive qualities and skills in others as we look for ways to appreciate them. That builds positive relationships and a community where people encourage one another. Appreciative people look out at the world and see God at work everywhere. In the actions of people and the beauty of creation. In the wonders of modern medicine and the healing power of an intimate friend they can share with.

Maybe it is not an accident that one of the characteristics of growing churches is that they spend a lot of time praising God. The action becomes a spiritual practice of looking for things to praise God for.

Maybe saying “Thank you”, is not just good manners, but the beginning of seeing the whole of life differently and better.

Thank you for reading this!

Adrian.