SAY THANK YOU LIKE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE

I had the privilege of visiting a dear father in the faith who dedicated a day of the month to teach ministers and impact them prayerfully. The meetings were very impactful. I knelt by his side and said, “Grandpa, thank you for the monthly training. They have been a whole blessing”. His response has stuck with me for years. He said, “You are the one who appreciates it” 

There was a day someone reached out to me and said, “Pastor, I know a lot of people say thank you and appreciate you. I want to just add my voice to that also. I want to say thank you”. I told the person, “You are one of the very few who show appreciation”. 

There was a year that I told a dear sister I was grateful for her consistency in equipping us with teachings on purity. She said to me, “I was almost thinking I should stop but your appreciation has energized me”. 

Beloved, from the days of Jesus Christ, the flow of appreciation has witnessed scarcity, and only a few returns to express it. Many people assume that “many people” are showing appreciation and their own is irrelevant or inconsequential. It is not true. 

Jesus met ten lepers. He told them to go show themselves to the High Priest. They discovered they were healed on the way. Only one of them returned to show gratitude. 

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.  Luke 17:15-16 KJV

Give Glory to God. Yes! God deserves the glory always. You must give all the glory to God. He is the one who does mighty things. He is the source of inspiration. But it does not end there.

Giving him thanks.  Show appreciation to the vessel or channel God is using or has used to bless you also. Let your pastor know that his teachings are a blessing to you. Share testimonies of how impactful it has been. 

With a Loud Voice. Do not be quiet about it. Do not try to be “humble”. Let it be loud. Fight every spirit that tells you that your appreciation is excessive. Share the testimonies. Send that message. Say thank you. 

Even our Lord Jesus had to ask and then also add a statement: 

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 

Luke 17:17-18 KJV 

Where are the nine? They are not found. 

Where are those who say they have been blessed? They are not found

Where are those who tell their pastors how much their lives have been impacted? They are not found. 

Go and say Thank you to your pastor today. It will strengthen his heart. Do it. 

Never forget- Appreciation that is not expressed is no appreciation at all. 

Will you be the one?

Or are you part of the nine?

temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa.