There is a famous song written away back in in 1976 by Elton John and Bernie Taupin called “Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word”. Some of the lyrics include:
It’s sad,
So sad;
It’s a sad situation.
And it’s getting more and more absurd.
It’s sad,
So sad.
Why can’t we talk it over,
Always seems to me;
That sorry seems to be the hardest word.
Maybe it’s just because I have passed the 40 milestone or maybe it’s because I am turning into a grumpy old man but I think these days ‘thank you’ or even a simple ‘thanks’ can be the hardest words to utter.
I first began noticing it during the summer when I was in London for a week as part of our holidays, I would stop in the street or in a shop to let someone pass, give up my seat on the tube for someone or just let someone in front of me in a queue. People struggled to even look me in the face far less say thanks. I was beginning to wonder if this was just a London thing……apologies to any Londoners reading this.
The following week we headed to Disneyland Paris and the pattern continued…..my grumpy old man syndrome was kicking in big style and it was really starting to bug me. I was looking forward to getting home to Scotland and for the usual Scottish gratitude to once again bring a smile to my grumpiness.
Boy was I wrong, perhaps after my holiday experience I was just more sensitive and aware but it seemed to get worse. Whether I was driving about town, walking through the town, eating in a restaurant or even in church, the whole act of gratitude and simply saying thank you was disappearing.
You see I don’t think it is just a London thing, it seems to be a society thing. Thank you seem to be the hardest words.
So my question is “How are you doing on the gratitude front?” You see as Christians we are meant to shine as lights so that others may see our good deeds and glorify God (Matthew 5:16). When we omit to show gratitude our light begins to dim and we start to blend in rather than standing out in the culture around us.
Thankfulness is a prominent bible theme and we are reminded in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Are we standing out as Christian men and expressing our gratitude in all in things or are we in danger of being known as a group of grumpy old men?
Photo Credit: Rodion Kutsaev
