Years ago, during a breakout session at a conference, a pastor told us that his goal was to write five thank you notes a week. "I have at least that much to thank people for every week," he told us.
For years thereafter, I sent out lots of thank you notes. I enjoyed writing and sending them and those who received them, for the most part, enjoyed receiving them.
Writing thank yous can be a manipulative exercise, of course. This is why I asked God to help me keep my motives in saying "thanks" as pure as possible for a saint who is, in this life, also still a sinner.
I also asked God to help me to refrain from writing gratuitous thank you notes to people I thought might "do me good." Jesus' words seem appropriate here: "“When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed..." (Luke 14:12-14a)
With the advent and increase of online communication, the great majority of my thank yous have, increasingly, been expressed via email or direct messaging. But, I'm convinced that's a largely negative development. As the one expressing thanks, my experience says that greater sincerity and a more genuine connection with the recipients of our thanks are fostered when we take pen to paper or card.
I'm guessing handwritten thank yous also have the possibility of bringing more joy to their recipients. Going to the mailbox these days is a fairly flat and joyless experience. When I was a kid or a young man, going to the mailbox where there were often letters from cousins and friends was like finding unexpected gold. Now, my mailbox is usually filled with third-class advertising and bills. How much joy we can bring to people when, on occasions other than birthdays, Christmas, or Easter, they find a sincere thank you from us!
Thank you for reminding me of the joys associated with saying "Thank you," Phil!
Years ago, during a breakout session at a conference, a pastor told us that his goal was to write five thank you notes a week. "I have at least that much to thank people for every week," he told us.
For years thereafter, I sent out lots of thank you notes. I enjoyed writing and sending them and those who received them, for the most part, enjoyed receiving them.
Writing thank yous can be a manipulative exercise, of course. This is why I asked God to help me keep my motives in saying "thanks" as pure as possible for a saint who is, in this life, also still a sinner.
I also asked God to help me to refrain from writing gratuitous thank you notes to people I thought might "do me good." Jesus' words seem appropriate here: "“When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed..." (Luke 14:12-14a)
With the advent and increase of online communication, the great majority of my thank yous have, increasingly, been expressed via email or direct messaging. But, I'm convinced that's a largely negative development. As the one expressing thanks, my experience says that greater sincerity and a more genuine connection with the recipients of our thanks are fostered when we take pen to paper or card.
I'm guessing handwritten thank yous also have the possibility of bringing more joy to their recipients. Going to the mailbox these days is a fairly flat and joyless experience. When I was a kid or a young man, going to the mailbox where there were often letters from cousins and friends was like finding unexpected gold. Now, my mailbox is usually filled with third-class advertising and bills. How much joy we can bring to people when, on occasions other than birthdays, Christmas, or Easter, they find a sincere thank you from us!
Thank you for reminding me of the joys associated with saying "Thank you," Phil!
How beautiful a comment. Thank you Mark!!