Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Psalm 103:2
“Open my heart, O Lord, to Your law and teach me to walk in the way of Your commandments. Let me understand Your will. Let me remember Your blessings — all of them and each single one of them — with great reverence and care so that henceforth I may return worthy thanks for them. I know that I am unable to give due thanks for even the least of Your gifts. I am unworthy of the benefits You have given me, and when I consider Your generosity my spirit faints away before its greatness. All that we have of soul and body, whatever we possess interiorly or exteriorly, by nature or by grace, are Your gifts and they proclaim Your goodness and mercy from which we have received all good things.”
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ, excerpt from chapter 22, “Remember the Innumerable Gifts of God,” translated by Harry Plantinga (1994) 60.
As I try to explore the heart of the generous person from God’s perspective, my mind goes to classic works like The Imitation of Christ. From Thomas à Kempis, we discover at least two vital characteristics of generous people. They direct all gratitude and glory to God. This is likewise evident in David as he recounts the many benefits of God in Psalm 103 and directs praise heavenward! He says, in plain terms, praise God because we don’t get the many awful things we deserve and we get innumerable kindnesses we don’t deserve. Want to do the same with me today? Wherever you are reading this around the world, stop what you are doing. Praise God and remember your blessings with gratitude. Give thanks for at least three things out loud.