Want to know what’s more contagious than Covid?
Gratitude!
Have you ever considered how someone expressing thanks to you likely prompted you to pay that forward by being aware of opportunities to communicate your gratitude as well?
Three months into marriage, my husband wisely chose a change in careers. He left his consulting job with IBM in lieu of pursuing the opportunity to own his own Chick-fil-A franchise. He has now worked with Chick-fil-A for over a decade and it is a family business for sure!
Chick-fil-A has made a profound impact on me. One big lesson I have learned is realizing that we have a chance every day to spread gratitude and positively influence others.
It’s hard to separate gratitude from encouragement. Both of these intentional practices are prompted by love and help people realize they are appreciated and they are loved. Here are a couple of simple ways Chick-fil-A taught me these lessons:
A few years ago, Mark and I took a team from Illinois to the Chick-fil-A support center in Georgia. There we witnessed countless people practicing gratitude.
After arriving in Georgia, our group first went out to eat breakfast in a nearby town and we happened to run into a member of the Chick-fil-A Executive Committee. His name is Cliff and he personally greeted our table and invited us to stop in at the EC meeting later that day.
With excitement, our group walked into the large meeting room, not knowing what to expect. The members of the EC graciously paused their meeting and gave us a rundown of their topics of discussion for that particular meeting. Cliff proceeded to thank each of us publicly for what we do every day at the restaurant. The entire room erupted in applause as they expressed their appreciation for our group. I instantly teared up as I was moved in that powerful moment. Cliff then paused and exhorted us to remember this feeling and recreate it back at our restaurant. This entire encounter lasted less than five minutes. The EC wisely recognized that their five minute investment would leave a lifelong impact on the rest of us. Throughout the rest of our visit, members of the support center went out of their way to approach our group and sincerely thank our team for the significance and impact of their role. Multiple people communicated that our team, who cheerfully serves guests every day, allows them to have their dream role at the support center. I was humbled by their consideration, thoughtfulness, and biblical model of practicing gratitude.
“Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.” Philippians 4:5a (NLT)
This verse leads us to the practical application of expressing gratitude, and it is contagious. It’s so exciting that we can have an impact on others simply through using our words to intentionally encourage and build others up.
On the flip side, when Mark and I lived in the Northeast for a corporate assignment, we threw a team party soon after we arrived to meet everyone and connect before we began working together. We were thrilled with the turnout of team members and they all actively participated in the party, eating the food and receiving the gifts we had chosen for them. A few team members expressed that they felt very cared for and they had never experienced a team gathering like this one. Upon reflection later that week, we noted how interesting it was that only a couple people had said thank you. Being thanked wasn’t the reason we threw the party, but I have to admit, I was a little hurt that not everyone expressed their appreciation. I was processing this on the phone with my brother and I’ll always remember his wise response, “Well, at least it was a better response than the lepers who Jesus healed.” I had to re-read the story from Luke 17 to see what he meant . . .
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19 (NIV)
Only one person thanked Jesus! What Jesus did was infinitely more significant than our tiny offering. He healed these lepers, changed the trajectory of their lives, and purified them in an instant. And here I was complaining that only a couple people thanked us for hosting a party.
Perspective is helpful to humble us!
Maybe all these lepers felt thankful, but what made an impression on Jesus was gratitude being expressed through this one faithful foreigner.
Both of these stories lead me to the same conclusion: we have to actually express gratitude if we want it to benefit others and be contagious, because gratitude ultimately glorifies God!
As I reflect on the times I have witnessed others model both gratitude and entitlement, it inspires me to seize the opportunities to represent Jesus to others.
Here’s my hope as we approach the Christmas season: Let’s be more contagious than Covid by loving in word and deed! AMEN!!!
Grateful for you,
Laura