Attitude Of Gratitude!

It's still winter in the UAE as I begin writing this blog and the mornings are cold and bet you, it's the best time to wrap yourself with your blanket and never think of getting out of bed. This is the time you feel like snoozing your alarm for a couple of times more, wishing it was Friday. But then reality hits you all of a sudden and you realize that it's getting late for work. You jump out of bed, say a quick prayer, get ready in a jiffy, take a quick breakfast and dash off to work. That's my story on some days! But it is also one of the best times during the year to enjoy nature. On some days it is cold and foggy and on other days it is windy.  Nevertheless, winter here is not too harsh and it is a very enjoyable weather provided one is well protected with warm clothing. Even as I enjoy this weather, my new work place enhances it even more with it's lush green lawns and beautiful flowers and trees that attract a number of birds. One of the first things I hear as I step into my work place is the sweet sound of birds in the trees in the campus. I've often wondered how nice it would be to be able to understand the language of these birds as they sing so beautifully. Each day as I walk in I get reminded of the fact that they are happy and perhaps thanking the Lord for their provision. It reminds me about being thankful for every small detail of my life.

Having an attitude of gratitude is a blessing. In a context like the UAE where the economy has slowed down and every business house goes through periodical restructuring to minimize overhead costs, people live in a lot of uncertainty about their jobs. In such a context, I consider it a great privilege to be working for this university, where contrary to the context, I see it expanding and new recruitments happening regularly. Reflecting on this, I feel God has led me into this place for employment against all economic odds proving to me that He is the one who sets up a table for me in the wilderness. This not only makes me even more thankful for each day here but also helps me give my best. The more grateful we are, the more faithful we will be!

Sometime back, a friend of mine mentioned that in this land people work with 'money' as the bottom line. I just cannot agree with this because if 'money' is the bottom line then God seems out of place in their life. My wife and I are quite clear that God has brought us into this land for His higher plans and purposes and for us, that is the bottom line and the money which seemed so central to my friend, is well kept at the periphery for us. When money becomes the center, then God, people and everything else becomes secondary. We want to be clear in our priorities and want to put God first and assign money its rightful place in our lives. God has blessed us adequately and we are happy and content with what He provides for us. The more grateful we are, the more contented we will be!

In our experience we have seen quite a few people who live life in 'keeping up with the Joneses'. They live constantly comparing their salaries with that of others. They live comparing their possessions with that of others. They are completely overtaken by a need for establishing their significance through materialism. Their consumptions are not for satisfying their own needs but to ensure that they are no inferior to 'the Joneses'. These are people who find their security in the 'things' they possess and not on the God who provides. These are people who are constantly greedy, grumpy, complaining and ungrateful. I'm reminded of Jesus' words in Luke 12:15, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." ...Well God has taught us to say along with Paul, "I'm just happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty"(Phil 4:12, The Message). We are grateful to God for seeing us through a whole year and more with only one income and yet providing for us much more to prove that He is the God who fed Elijah through the ravens. The more grateful we are, the happier we will be!!

While reading about living a healthy life in a secular magazine, I was surprised to find that the origin of many of our diseases is in our minds. When we allow other 'things' to govern our lives instead of God we let these things and attitudes run the show. When God is dethroned and our self is on the throne, then our minds are filled with self and in follows all the awkward allies in the form of anger, pride, envy, malice, bitterness, unforgiveness, discontentment and so on. When these are what fills our heart, it is quite natural that we are not at ease and every 'dis'ease is invited with a spread out red carpet. How important it is to guard our lives from falling into such a danger? The wise man says, "Above all else, guard your hearts, for out of it comes the issues of life" (Pr 4:23). In other words, when we guard ourselves from these dangers, we can save a lot of trouble due to sickness that basically originates from the wickedness of the heart. Well, the more grateful we are, the healthier we will be.

So in conclusion, be grateful, be faithful, be happy, be contented and be healthy!!!

God bless you!!