The Transforming Power of Thankfulness By R. Scott Rodin

A Steward’s Practice of Thankfulness

Jesus modeled thankfulness for us.

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” the disciples answered. “Bring them here to me,” Jesus said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.” 

Matthew 14:18-19

There is a radical truth hidden in this all-too-familiar biblical story. And we tend to read right over it. We shake our heads at the disciples’ lack of faith. We marvel at the miracle that not only fed the thousands but also left an abundance over. We wonder at the application to our own lives and hope we can have faith in God’s provision when the odds seem overwhelming. 

All this is true, but did you catch the intimate moment shared between Father and Son? Jesus stands before an overwhelming need with woefully insufficient resources to meet it. Jesus knew that whatever his Father had provided would be enough. So, he takes one of the five small loaves of bread, lifts it to heaven, looks out at the hungry masses, and does the unthinkable. He gives thanks.

The Gift of Provision

Thanks? It seems clear that what God had provided fell woefully short of the massive need before them. Had I been in Jesus’s place, I would have prayed as well. However, my prayer would have gone something  like this:

Oh God, we have a real problem here. We have all these hungry people looking to us for food, and while we’re always appreciative of what you give us, we don’t have enough to feed them. Not even close. Oh Lord, we need a miracle. This is a really tough situation. Our backs are against the wall. We need you to come through big time here, Lord. Please don’t abandon us in this hour of our need. Please, Lord, hear our prayer and show us how we can feed all these people with so few resources. Help us, Lord, we’re in a real pickle here.

Now there’s not a whole lot wrong with this prayer, I suppose. Except that it’s missing one key element. There is no word of thanks to the God who provides. And why? Because the provision seems so inadequate.

We can say that Jesus was able to give thanks because he knew a miracle was about to happen. But that’s not what the text says. He doesn’t say, ‘Thank you, Father, for this incredible miracle you’re about to do.’ He doesn’t say thank you with a wink and a nod like a magician who knows that the rabbit is already in the hat. He doesn’t do it out of rote repetition or mindless obedience, as sometimes we do with our prayers before a meal. 

Sincere Gratitude

Jesus says thanks because he really means it. 

He is thankful for what God has provided, and he believes that, as radical as it may seem to everyone around him, it will be enough. Put another way, Jesus’s focus was on being a steward of what he had, not on crying out to God for what he did not.

As steward leaders, are we thankful for God’s provision in all things, even when that provision seems inadequate? 

What it Means to Be Thankful

We must be careful here when we talk about what it means to be thankful. As in all things in our Christian walk, the enemy can use even the most biblical concepts and twist them just enough to do us harm rather than bring the blessings God intended. It’s undoubtedly true for thankfulness.

The question we must ask ourselves is, “What are we thankful for?” In every given situation, there are two choices. We can be thankful for what God has provided, or we can be grateful for the God who provided it. The two are definitely not the same. The enemy would have us tie our words and feelings of thankfulness to the good things that God does for us. This is called ‘circumstantial thankfulness’. When our circumstances are good, we are thankful. When there’s something to be grateful for, we’ll respond in kind. This kind of thankfulness is not only unbiblical, but it is the great enemy of leading as a faithful steward. 

Honoring God

God-honoring thankfulness always raises us above the circumstances and situations of our present moment. Our leadership as stewards is not dependent on anything but our love of God and our recognition of his incredible love for us. That never changes. That doesn’t come and go. Instead, it transcends and, in some ways, transforms the to-and-fro of our daily lives. 

We must be watchful for a heart that is only thankful when there’s something to be grateful for. Paul knew this when he said,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” 

Philippians 4:6

The Nature of God

This is a thankfulness tied solely to our understanding of God’s nature. When Jesus lifted that loaf of bread to the heavens and gave thanks, I do not believe he was merely thanking God for the bread. He was giving thanks for the heart of the Father who loved him and would always provide. That is the alternative form of thankfulness, and it is our heartfelt response to God’s love for us in every situation. 

What loaf of bread do you need to lift to the Father in thanksgiving? How might such a heart of thankfulness transform you as a leader and the people you lead?

R. Scott Rodin is the Senior Consultant/Chief Strategy Officer for The Focus Group. Over the past thirty-eight years, Scott Rodin has helped hundreds of organizations enhance their effectiveness in leadership, fundraising, strategic planning, and board development. His books and articles have been translated into over twenty languages, and he has taught and consulted with ministries across five continents. Scott also serves as a Senior Fellow of the Association of Biblical Higher Education and as board chair for ChinaSource.

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