When we read the teachings of Jesus in Matthew chapters 5 through 7, we see how different they are from any other religious teaching in the world. Following those teachings would benefit all of the inhabitants of this planet. Jesus taught an essential attitude toward possessions and wealth. I have always enjoyed the phrase “attitude of gratitude.”
Americans have moved from an attitude of gratitude to an attitude of entitlement. There is no reason to give thanks for something if it was owed to us in the first place. We seem to jump from one “gimmie festival” to another as we go through the holidays. The result of this is stress, worry, anxiety, and all of the physiological disorders that go with this self-induced pressure.
Many years ago, Dr. Stephen Post, a physician at Case Western Medical School, shared some data on how people benefit from an attitude of gratitude in Guideposts Magazine (November 2007, page 78):
- Just 15 minutes a day focusing on things you’re thankful for will significantly increase your body’s natural antibodies.
- Naturally grateful people are more focused mentally and measurably less vulnerable to clinical depression.
- A grateful state of mind induces a physiological state called resonance that’s associated with healthier blood pressure and heart rate.
- Caring for others is draining. But grateful caregivers are healthier and more capable than less grateful ones.
- Recipients of donated organs who have the most grateful attitudes heal faster.
How do Christians develop a natural gratitude that affords them these benefits? In the Psalms, the Hebrew word for thanks occurs 31 times. Psalms is a worship book that concentrates on praise to God. Thanksgiving is a vital part of the praise and worship of God. In the New Testament, there are 50 occurrences of the word “thanks.” The Hebrew word “towdah” and the Greek word “eucharista” convey pure worship and are translated “thanks.” Giving, being thankful, feeling gratitude for our blessings is pure worship, and it culminates in service to others.
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27, NIV). Materialism is a serious source of pollution to our spiritual living. An attitude of gratitude can help to clear that pollution.
— John N. Clayton © 2019
This post is adapted from an article in the Does God Exist printed journal in 2009. You can read the entire article HERE.
Tunaposoma mafundisho ya Yesu katika Mathayo sura ya 5 hadi 7, tunaona jinsi yalivyo tofauti na mafundisho mengine ya kidini ulimwenguni. Kufuata mafundisho hayo kungewanufaisha wakazi wote wa sayari hii. Yesu alifundisha mtazamo muhimu kuelekea mali na utajiri. "Wamarekani wamebadilika kutoka mtazamo wa shukrani hadi mtazamo wa haki. """ Hakuna sababu ya kutoa shukrani kwa kitu ikiwa kilikuwa ni cha lazima kwetu. Tunaonekana kuruka kutoka sherehe moja ya gimmie hadi nyingine tunapopita katika likizo. Matokeo yake ni wasiwasi, wasiwasi, na matatizo ya kisaikolojia yanayohusiana na shinikizo hili. "Mwanamke mmoja, Daktari Stephen Post, ambaye ni mwanafunzi wa Chuo Kikuu cha Tiba cha Case Western, aliandika hivi katika jarida la Guideposts: ""Kufanya kazi kwa dakika 15 tu kwa siku kwa mambo unayoyashukuru, kutaongeza sana uwezo wa mwili wako wa kutengeneza viini vya kinga." Watu wenye shukrani kwa asili ni zaidi ya kuzingatia kiakili na measurably chini ya kuathiriwa na unyogovu kliniki. - Hali ya shukrani ya akili husababisha hali ya kisaikolojia inayoitwa resonance ambayo inahusishwa na shinikizo la damu na kiwango cha moyo kilicho na afya. - Kujali wengine ni jambo lenye kuchosha. Lakini watunzaji wenye shukrani wana afya nzuri na uwezo zaidi kuliko wale wasio na shukrani. - Wapokeaji wa viungo vilivyotolewa ambao wana mtazamo wa shukrani zaidi hupona haraka zaidi. Wakristo wanawezaje kusitawisha shukrani ya asili inayowasaidia kupata faida hizo? Katika Zaburi, neno la Kiebrania la shukrani linapatikana mara 31. Zaburi ni kitabu cha ibada ambacho hukazia sifa kwa Mungu. Shukrani ni sehemu muhimu ya kumsifu na kumwabudu Mungu. "Katika Agano Jipya, neno ""shukrani"" linapatikana mara 50 katika Maandiko Matakatifu, na neno la Kiebrania ""towda"" na neno la Kigiriki ""eucharista"" linamaanisha ibada safi, na linatafsiriwa ""shukrani"" - kutoa, kuwa na shukrani, na kuhisi shukrani kwa baraka zetu ni ibada safi, na inafikia kilele chake katika utumishi kwa wengine." "Dini ambayo Mungu Baba yetu anakubali kuwa safi na isiyo na hatia ni hii: kuwatunza yatima na wajane katika dhiki yao na kujilinda kutoka kwa uchafu wa ulimwengu. """ Utajiri ni chanzo kikubwa cha uchafuzi wa maisha yetu ya kiroho. Mtazamo wa shukrani waweza kusaidia kuondoa uchafuzi huo. "John N. Clayton, mwandishi wa ""The Godfather"" na ""The Godfather"" ni mchambuzi wa hadithi ya Mungu aliyetoka duniani kote." Unaweza kusoma makala nzima hapa.