1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

This is an extremely important principle that is sadly lacking in society today. Particularly young people, but people in general seem to expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter. Luxury has become commonplace, and people seem to have no appreciation for what is genuinely valuable, like human relationships and particularly, a right relationship with their Creator. We brag about having the latest iPhone, when we don’t really have anyone to talk to on it. The devil, hating mankind because God loves us, does all he can to foster this, encouraging us to seek handouts and get-rich-quick schemes of one sort or another and denigrating faithfulness in every area, from work to parenting to marriage. We need to wake up and resist his lies, recognizing the grace of God and being grateful. It is ironic that we focus so much on the material and the physical, when even human psychologists tell us that the key to happiness is gratitude. That’s precisely what Paul is talking about here. Even if what we have is because of our own efforts (and not much of it is) we need to be grateful that God has enabled us to put in the effort necessary. Without God, we wouldn’t even exist! I have long said, and still do, that without God we wouldn’t be able to draw a single breath, but it actually goes even deeper than that. Without God, not even our atoms would hold together! Physicists have gotten pretty good at describing the physical universe, but they get stuck on the why of a lot of things, throwing around terms not even they understand, like “dark energy” and “strong force” and “weak force.” Human intellect is a marvelous gift, but it certainly has limits, and it is hubris to think otherwise. The ultimate key to happiness is humble gratitude toward our Creator, seeking to know and do what He desires of us, for His glory.

This is something I have had to learn, and to be frank, I am still learning. I love to know stuff, but the more I learn, the more I understand that I don’t know. The term, sophomore, has applied to me for much of my life: “wise fool.” Because I have known some things, I have felt I knew all things! That’s the very definition of foolishness. I have a wide variety of abilities, but just as Paul says here, every one of them was given to me, sometimes with my involvement but often not. I didn’t ask for my genetics, or my home environment, or the many life experiences that have shaped me. I am to be grateful for all of the above, but not proud. I am not to think or feel that what I have been given makes me any more valuable or superior than the next person.

Father, thank You for Your incredible patience with me. As I have commented many times, if I had been You, I would have squashed me a long time ago! Help me indeed recognize Your grace, toward me and toward all Your children, and walk in the humble gratitude You intend for me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!