OWEN
Good morning! I am Owen Weddle, the Associate Pastor at Central United Methodist.
In Matthew 8:14-15, a brief story is told of how Jesus heals the mother-in-law of Peter, one of Jesus' disciples. As soon as she was healed, what do you think happened? She immediately got up and went to serve Jesus. She didn't stay in bed for a little while longer: no one would have blamed her, since she had just been sick. Nor did she just say “Thank you” or provide a small token of thanks and went along with her day. Nor did she go and make a big deal and try to outdo what Jesus did for her. All she did is immediately got up and served Jesus.
It is the picture of gratitude; of returning the favor, as small as it might be. It is too easy for us to take for granted what people do for us or for us to want to outdo something kind someone else has done for us. Whether we do nothing or go to the extreme, we are acting out of our own egotistical reasons: either we don't care or we make our personality the center. But appropriate gratitude is an opportunity to continue to build a relationship with those who help us, God and other people. The next time someone helps you, ask: how can I genuinely return the favor without making it about me?
May God bless you!
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