Philosophy of Gratitude

William P. McKenzie

If men only knew the increasing blessings which gratitude brings, they would more earnestly cultivate it. Gratitude values blessings received, and induces more. In the parable of the pounds the other servants questioned the ethics of their lord in rewarding the servant who had so used his pound as to gain ten. He gave to this successful one the unused pound thrown back by the unprofitable servant. They seemed to think he ought not to have done this. "Lord, he hath ten pounds," they said. But the lord made answer, "Unto every one which hath shall be given." The same thought is enlarged in the eighth chapter of Luke: "Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have."

Here is the philosophy of gratitude. No man can receive more of real good unless he appreciates what he has; that is, he will not be receptive to increasing good without some opening of the door by gratitude. Selfishness is the shutting of the door to real good, and it closes the door so as to keep within all sorts of discontent and dissatisfaction. No friend can be friendly enough to satisfy the selfish heart of the ungrateful one whom he benefits, for though he receive the benefit he will discount every act of good will and put sour interpretation upon every genial motive until gratitude begins to operate. But when gratitude develops, little kindnesses become great blessings, and the geniality of another makes genial the accepting heart. Such a one reckons up his blessings daily, and thanks God for daily bread. When a gift is given to the thankful child, gratitude and happiness seem to combine as one, and the donor is blessed, not so much by verbal thanks as by being able to cause joy.

Appreciation, then, encourages benevolence; and as benevolence blesses the benevolent, so gratitude may be the encourager of good will among men. The Christian Scientists know more about gratitude than any people on earth, because their grateful feelings have arisen in response to God's goodness proved to them. If they are helped by a practitioner, they are grateful to him, of course, and they are deeply grateful to the Discoverer of Christian Science, whose teaching made possible the help given to them by their helper. And yet as both helper and teacher reveal God as Savior and healer, the continually arising gratitude is really an unceasing prayer of thankfulness to Principle. Then since every glad and grateful recognition of Principle constitutes a receiving, it becomes understood how "unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance."

When a man says, "I have nothing to be grateful for," he, if he maintain that belief, condemns himself to imprisonment in the belief. Like one incarcerated within cruel walls, who cannot enjoy the broad fields or the green wood, sunrise glory or evening glow, he is shut off from such joy as Paul expressed in ability to be "as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

It is interesting to note that gratitude brings purification. If the one-talent man could have been purified from his cynicism and discontent, he might have done well with the talent intrusted to him for use. He imagined evil in his heart about his lord, and so excused his effortless inertia. Cherishing a soured disposition, he justified it, and the good he had was of course hidden,—it was buried in the earth, but not as grain to grow up and increase; it was really dead to use and service, whereas love would have put it to use and rendered service with it, and the gratitude would have been a spring of love. Every one can begin to purify thought by gratitude; he can estimate his blessings and thank God, not forgetting his benefits, and so he shall receive more and more.

William P. McKenzie.

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