This Christmas, a lot of children were fortunate enough to receive gifts from their parents, grandparents, and relatives. One mother even taught her kids to write thank you notes to everyone who gave them presents, but she found it difficult to coax them to do so.
Evangelist Billy Graham understands her frustration. "I suspect many parents could echo your frustration! After all, expressing thanks doesn't come naturally to most children; it's something they have to learn. And if they don't, they'll most likely be selfish and inconsiderate the rest of their lives," he wrote in his column for the Bowling Green Daily News.
Because of this, Graham is strongly encouraging all parents to teach their children the value of gratitude. He said they should teach their kids at an early age how to write thank you notes for the gifts they received, or let them place a phone call or email to those who thought of them during the holidays.
Graham said it's not just the act of saying "thank you" that is important; rather, it's the lesson learned behind every word of thanks.
"Take time also to explain why it's important to thank people for what they've done for us. It's not just a social custom or a matter of courtesy; it's a way to help us look beyond ourselves, and to be grateful for the love of others," he said.
Even the Bible verse Philippians 2:3 says so: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."
At the same time, Graham reminded parents that children learn from what they see, so they should be good examples of humility and gratefulness themselves. It's not enough that parents teach their children without doing the same thing, so it's time adults practice "an attitude of gratitude" in their own homes.
"Is thankfulness a sincere part of your life every day?" he questioned. "The Bible says, 'Give thanks in all circumstances' (1 Thessalonians 5:18)."
