Gratitude

Some years ago I was blessed to go to Uganda several times. On one of my trips we stayed at the Masindi Hotel. This well respected hotel in the town of Masindi is also the oldest hotel in Uganda. Although I notice that in recent years, the menu has been greatly improved, when I was there the food was essentially bland traditional Ugandan fare. However, the menu was more than offset by the head waiter, a tall Ugandan man named Solomon. Solomon was a church elder and a well respected leader in Masindi town. His job apparently allowed him and his family to live somewhat more comfortably than others in the community and he seemed content with his lot in life.

 One evening at supper I casually asked Solomon what he did in his "spare time". Solomon looked at me as if I were a Martian and asked me what I meant by the question. I then rephrased my question and asked, "what do you do on your days off?" I wish I could somehow convey the incredulous look that Solomon gave me as he responded, "Days off? There are no days off!" Thus I was introduced to the idea that having a job that requires one to work every day can be a good thing for which to be grateful.

Fast forwarded from 2000 to 2014. A missionary couple with whom we are friends recently came home from Uganda for a few weeks. While they were here, one of the wife's friends had a get together for her and invited a number of her other friends to attend. After listening to the attendees discussing balancing the demands of life in Williamson County TN she had to go outside and catch her breath. Although she understood where they were, she was overwhelmed by the pettiness of these discussions in the context of the poverty and need that she deals with daily in Uganda.

I say all of this not to guilt evoke you, but to remind you of how blessed we are to love in this country of such abundance... And maybe remind you of Jesus words in Luke 12:48 "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."