The Root of Thanksgiving – A Poem
The Thanksgiving Day Quotemeal email I got from Heartlight.org was a wonderful quote by Henry Ward Beecher, a mid-nineteenth century clergyman:
Pride slays thanksgiving, but an humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.
As I read it, a poem started to form in my mind so I thought I flesh it out for today’s post.
The Root of Thanksgiving
Seeing his co-worker get a promotion
Mr. Proud is angry and unhappy
thinking the promotion should be his
Never thankful for the job he has
Seeing his co-worker get a promotion
Mr. Humble rejoices with him
believing his day will come
Always thankful for the job he has
Seeing his neighbor drive a new car
Mr. Proud swears at his old truck
sure he should have a new BMW by now
Never thankful that he doesn’t ride the bus
Seeing his neighbor drive a new car
Mr. Humble smiles as he starts his old beater
knowing it will get him to his destination
Always thankful that it is his free and clear
Seeing fat cats on Wall Street and CEOs
rake in the dough, Mr. Proud is indignant
certain their wealth should be spread around
Never thankful for the blessings he has
Seeing fat cats on Wall Street and CEOs
rake in the dough, Mr. Humble is saddened
confident they don’t have the peace of the Lord
Always thankful that money doesn’t define him
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV).
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Thank you so much, Linda, for showing us how being humble and thankful go hand in hand. And vice versa . . .being proud and ungrateful. I need to start saying thank you for everything, immediately, especially the hard things.
God bless you and your forth coming book! 🙂 You will let us know, right? I gotta have one.
Deb, Just today I went to Powell’s, our locally owned bookstore, and did a search on their database for Christian poetry books. There weren’t very many, and I bought one that includes poems by a variety of poets, as well as some Psalms and other scriptural poems. I was encouraged that a book of Christian poetry would be filling a niche that doesn’t have much in it. 🙂 I do think I need a few more poems to make a whole book, but I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s available. Peace, Linda
“Flesh it out” I have learned a new term. I see a book of poems with your name on it.
LeRoy, I have been thinking about doing a book of poetry. Thank you for the encouragement to see it through. I have at least 75 poems so far, and so have a few more to go to have enough for a book, but will keep at it. Peace, Linda