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Gratitude, Christianity, and Taking Things for Granted
How Much Is Enough?
Being thankful in all circumstances is not the same as giving thanks for all things. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Being able to see silver linings is an invaluable tool, but they shouldn’t blind us to the reality of situations.
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In the course of my return to faith, I reconnected with a family friend from my youth and had a somewhat troubling conversation.
Aside from his devout Trump-ism, his unprompted espousing of his perspective on the Civil War exposing a rather blasé and compassionless attitude towards the historical realities of American slavery, and his “employment” of his young children clearly skewing his idea of appropriate pay for the construction work they were doing when I asked about a job, he made a comment at dinner that stirred me in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. Without attempting to quote him directly, he made a bad joke after praying for our meal about how atheists can’t really be grateful because “who are they grateful towards?”
I haven’t been an atheist in years, but this made me almost…angry?
Part of me wanted to launch into a tirade:
