“Just as one person’s junk is another person’s treasure, one person’s problem is another person’s miracle. Gratitude isn’t getting what you want; it’s wanting what you have. It’s a growing awareness of and appreciation for a million little miracles.”- Mark Batterson
“If we only had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt — at no cost — also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna.”- Numbers 11:4-6 (NIV)
As Mark Batterson continues Chapter 4 of A Million Little Miracles, he imagines trying to explain the hardships of modern travel to a pioneer loading up their wagon for a trek on the Oregon Trail. Because your travel hardship would be their miracle.
In a similar way, the Israelites viewed manna as a problem. Rather than thinking of manna as a miracle, they complained. Certainly, they ate free fish in Egypt. But, Mark quips, the Israelites ate free fish because they weren’t. A clear case of selective memory.
Therefore, when Solomon said in Proverbs 6:6 to study the way of the ant and be wise, his advice carried universal application. Because every plant and animal on earth has something to teach us.
In May of 2014, Phoo Chan, a bird photographer, captured a once-in-a-lifetime photo. The photo showed a crow riding on the back of an eagle. As large birds of prey, eagles often find themselves heckled by smaller birds. However, eagles solve this problem as they fly above ten thousand feet. For crows get dizzy and faint around seven thousand feet. So, Mark exhorts, instead of reacting to hecklers, act like an eagle and fly higher!
In conclusion, when Nehemiah rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem, a trio of trolls — Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem — plotted to sabotage the rebuilding. Furthermore, they falsely accused Nehemiah and planned to ambush him. But Nehemiah saw through their smokescreen. As a result, he flew above their gaslighting. He rebuilt the wall in only fifty-two days.
Today’s question: How do you respond to Mark’s definition of gratitude? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Always be connecting dots – ABCD”