Gratitude as an Action
Bible Verse
Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. (CEV) 1 Corinthians 15:17
What is our response when someone sacrifices their life? The movie Saving Private Ryan addresses this at the end when the namesake character asks his wife if he has been a “good man” in order to feel worthy of the sacrifice made by the soldiers who had rescued him.
When we teach our children about the resurrection story, we also need to ask: What is an adequate response to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us so we can have not only life but eternal life? We may find this thought overwhelming, since we really have no way to repay Christ for such a gift. However, if we truly recognize Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection as a gift from God, we understand that gratitude is the only proper response for that gift. With our families, let’s show our gratitude to God by showing his love to our neighbor.
Share kindness together as a family
How has your family shown kindness to others during the pandemic? Pray for families that are struggling financially, bring groceries to someone in quarantine, and seek out other ways to help your neighbors.
During extended at-home time, how can kids comfort each other through virtual support networks? Use visuals like memes, emojis, GIFs, or videos to brighten friends’ days. Perhaps they could be peer tutors for schoolwork and check in on how virtual classmates are feeling each day.
What are the needs in your neighborhood? Are there older neighbors who need a regular check-in? Is there a young mom who could use a hand? How can you and your family provide hospitality, kindness, and care to those who live around you?
What’s an age-appropriate church project that the family can do together? What community organizations are open to family volunteering?
Gratitude means following God’s commands for our lives. And the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor: in other words, “Be Kind.” Doing acts of kindness together as a family will also make it a natural thing for your kids to start doing on their own.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article The Impact of Christ's Dying Words
Gwen Veltema Klemm
Since graduating from Calvin University, Gwen Veltema Klemm has traveled the US and worked as a newspaper reporter, a technical writer for manufacturing and IT, and won a creative writing contest in 2019. She currently lives in Holland, Michigan warming her bones because winter is coming.
