I remember a story from some time ago where a professor, before thanksgiving break, gave the students an exam. The exam had one question, “What is the name of the janitor that cleans our restrooms?”
Would you have passed the exam?
Soon we will be celebrating the secular holiday of Thanksgiving. For some it will be a day of food, friends, family and football. For others it will be another day of work, making sure those celebrating still have electricity, water, fuel, food, a place to sleep, fire protection, freedom from attacks, and care during illnesses. For still others it will be just another blip in the daily struggle for survival physically or spiritually, because of the loss of loved ones, loss of income or loss of health.
In our country, most of us have much to be thankful for. Let us also remember during this time to be thankful to God who provided for us, and remember he has called us to share what he has given. There are thousands of good causes for us to support, all of them clamoring for additional funds and or volunteers to help. It is important for us to remember that one of the best ways to give God thanks is to share his blessings with others. But to share that blessing with others we have to know who they are.
Not discounting the value of money gifts, the greater value is in giving of ourselves. Everyone, no matter how much money they have or don’t have, is called to be brother and sister to others. During this Thanksgiving season, take time to smile, to recognize others, to let them know you appreciate what they do. Take time to notice the strangers, or even the people we see all the time and mostly ignore. Let us be thankful from our inner being to our God, by showing him love.
Scripture asks, “How can you say you love the God whom you cannot see, when you do not love the neighbor whom you can?”
Countenance of God 