Today is International Thank You Day!

How are you at telling others thank you? Let’s take a quick thankfulness quiz.

• You just received lots of Christmas presents. Your thank-you notes are . . .
• In the mail
• In the thought-process stage
• What thank-you notes?
• You’ve been sick and your friend brought you some schoolwork. You say . . .
• Thanks! I didn’t want to fall too far behind in my work.
• Can you stay and explain it to me?
• What did you do that for?
• You have a loving family, a warm house to live in, clothes, and food to eat. You . . .
• Thank God each day
• Think of all the things that you don’t have
• Think, “Hey, I deserve this!”

Expressing thanks is not always our first response. Remember the ten lepers? Check out the Bible account in Luke 17:14-18. Jesus healed ten men who had leprosy, but only one returned to say thank you!

God is pleased when we say thanks and will teach us more about himself when we come to him with grateful hearts. Saying thank you to God and to others should be a part of our daily routine, like brushing our teeth or making our bed. Make it your habit today.

No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

To Do

Who do you need to thank? Tell that person today—by email, phone, or handwritten note! You’ll be glad you did.

Also on this day . . .

1755—Alexander Hamilton was born.

1770—The first shipment of rhubarb was sent to the United States from London.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.