{"id":44329,"date":"2022-11-22T09:06:40","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T15:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/?p=44329"},"modified":"2022-11-22T09:06:40","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T15:06:40","slug":"gratitude-a-source-of-hope-even-in-a-crooked-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2022\/11\/22\/gratitude-a-source-of-hope-even-in-a-crooked-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Gratitude a source of hope, even in a crooked culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cDo everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life.\u201d \u2013 Philippians 2:14-16 (CSB)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Grumbling comes easy in a world and culture that has gone wrong \u2013 that is, as Paul describes it, \u201cin a crooked and perverted generation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve seen a share of crookedness and perversion in our own time \u2013 most recently, with the legalization of recreational marijuana in Missouri<\/a> and with attempts by the United States Senate to codify \u201csame-sex marriage\u201d in federal law<\/a>. I confess some minor grumbling at these developments. But gratitude, rather than grumbling, offers a better way forward for me, as for all Christians. <\/span><\/p>\n

Corrie Ten Boom \u2013 whose captivating story is told in the book, The Hiding Place<\/i> \u2013 knew well this truth. The leader of an underground movement trying to rescue Jews in Nazi-occupied Holland, she was arrested along with her family and carted off to a concentration camp.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even here, subjected to Nazi brutality, she learned the value of gratitude. When stripped naked and jeered at by soldiers, for instance, she remembered that Christ Jesus once hung in shameful nakedness on the cross for her sins. And she thanked Him with deeper appreciation than ever before.<\/span><\/p>\n

Encouraged by her sister, Betsie, who shared in her sufferings, Corrie learned to take seriously the apostle Paul\u2019s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: \u201c… [G]ive thanks in everything; for this is God\u2019s will for you in Christ Jesus.\u201d The sisters thanked God even for their flea-infested barracks. Only later did they learn that guards avoided the barracks for fear of the fleas \u2013 allowing the prisoners ample time and secrecy to read their treasured, but contraband, Bible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amid such crookedness and perversity, grumbling would have been easy and \u2013 from a human vantage point \u2013 understandable. But, instead, these sisters found life, hope and meaning through gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gratitude is a fitting attitude, especially, in our day. For much of the crookedness and many of the perversions of our culture (to say nothing of our own hearts) arise from self-centeredness, from the pursuit of individual autonomy, from the desire to re-create one\u2019s \u201cself\u201d and one\u2019s world at one\u2019s pleasure.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, as the late historian and author David McCullough has written, there is, in fact, no such thing as a \u201cself-made man or woman.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know, in our own lives, who those people are who\u2019ve opened a window, given us an idea, given us encouragement, given us a sense of direction, self-approval, self-worth, or who have straightened us out when we were on the wrong path,\u201d McCullough writes. \u201c… Family, teachers, friends, rivals, competitors \u2013 they\u2019ve all shaped us.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so too have people we\u2019ve never met, never known, because they lived long before us. … The laws we live by, the freedoms we enjoy, the institutions that we take for granted \u2013 as we should never take for granted \u2013 are all the work of other people who went before us. And to be indifferent to that isn\u2019t just to be ignorant, it\u2019s to be rude. And ingratitude is a shabby failing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, as Christians, we know that \u201cevery good and perfect gift\u201d comes down to us ultimately from our heavenly Father (James 1:17). He deserves all praise and thanks for the goodness in our lives. But, often, God doesn\u2019t bestow His gifts directly by His own hand. Rather, His good gifts come to us by the hands of others, and as a result gratitude multiplies. For it is His will that we develop an attitude of gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

A note of gratitude from Don Hinkle\u2019s family<\/span><\/h2>\n

After the death on Sept. 22<\/a> of my friend and mentor, Pathway<\/i> founding editor Don Hinkle, I was deeply blessed to spend time with Don\u2019s sweet mother, Cecelia, and siblings, Jeff and Leann. Recently, Cecelia asked if The Pathway<\/i> could publish the following letter. It is a great privilege to do so here:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWords seem inadequate at a time I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of the wonderful people of Missouri, for the love and kind words you all spoke about Don and for the beautiful flowers you sent. Needless to say, he was the joy of my heart, for all the wonderful things he accomplished for the Lord. A friend told me that I would not understand all the things Don had done for the Lord until I get to heaven. \u2018What a glorious day!\u2019<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMissouri will always have a special place in my heart, and I pray God will bless each one of you that had a part in Don\u2019s life. Thank you again. Don loved you all much.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur love in Christ,<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCecilia Hinkle Pratt, Jeff Hinkle & Leann Lamberth\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gratitude is a fitting attitude, especially, in our day. For much of the crookedness and many of the perversions of our culture (to say nothing of our own hearts) arise from self-centeredness, from the pursuit of individual autonomy, from the desire to re-create one\u2019s \u201cself\u201d and one\u2019s world at one\u2019s pleasure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":43892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[37,5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nGratitude a source of hope, even in a crooked culture<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gratitude is a fitting attitude, especially, in our day. 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