Gratitude and Empathy

 

Touched by Grace

“The two categorical, unconditional virtues…are gratitude and empathy.”

Huston Smith

          In his article “Gratitude: One of the Most Important Virtues,” from Nov. 24, 2013, Marcus Borg wrote, “This season is a fruitful time to reflect about the relationship between gratitude and thanksgiving. Sometimes they are the same but not always.” He reminds us about the prayer of the rich young man in Luke 18:9-14, who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people.” A prayer of gratitude, no doubt, but perhaps not for the right reasons.

          Another prayer he recalled was from the 1965 Jimmy Steward film, Shenandoah, in which Steward prayed this blessing: “Lord, we cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvested it. We cooked the harvest. It wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you Lord just the same for the food we are about to eat. Amen” Gives new meaning to “self-made man,” doesn’t it. I get the sense the Lord should be grateful that Jimmy included him at all.

          Gratitude is important for one reason: it changes us. Gratitude leads us to be kinder and gentler people. If one is conscious of being grateful for everything they have and are, they are less likely to be cruel or hateful to others. Simply having a thankful heart is sufficient for making us better people, less judgmental—people with empathy for others.

          We may have worked hard for what we have; we may credit ourselves with rising out of the ashes of a difficult childhood, but we should also be aware of the role that genetics plays. The roles that economics and opportunity and location play, and especially the roles that entrenched poverty and privilege play. As much as we like to believe that we are all born equal under the law and have equal opportunity in the USA, we all know that's not true. No one is self-made. We all stand on the shoulders of our ancestors.

          Being grateful, regardless of your circumstances, may sound ridiculous to some, especially to those who are working themselves to the bone and still not getting ahead, but that’s not the point. The point is that gratitude itself is transformative. Practicing gratitude and praying doxology-type prayers (Praise God from whom all blessings flow…) changes OUR perspective. It produces a person who sees themselves as blessed, who recognizes that their life is touched by grace. And that perception alone produces a joyful heart.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane