How To Respond To An Attitude Of Ingratitude

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” – Philippians 4:12

One of the things that I have struggled with in my life of service has been ungrateful people and how I respond to them.    Rarely has my frustration toward ungrateful people been because I thought they did not appreciate God.  No, it was because I thought they did not appreciate me.  Do you see the problem?   1 John 4:19 says “We love because he first loved us.”  Matthew 22:37-39 suggests that because we love God first, we will love others.  Loving others, and the service associated with it, is an expression of our love for God.  When we are confronted by ingratitude, since what we do is for God and not for them, although they are the benefactors, those who are ungrateful are really ungrateful toward God. So … what my struggle with an attitude of ingratitude toward ingratitude causes me to examine my motivation for what I did for them. Did I want them to appreciate me? Was I robbing God of His glory, taking credit for something for which He was the Source and I was merely the messenger? Have you ever thought, “I can’t believe they don’t appreciate what I have done for them!” Are you willing to love and not be loved back?

“When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.  Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’” –  Luke 17:14-19

That is a gratitude rate of 10%.  Do you think Jesus asked himself "Why did I heal those others guys, they did not appreciate it!" Would you be satisfied with that or would you decide it just wasn’t worth your trouble?  Those people were not worth your effort and “sacrifice”.  If you think that way, your focus is on you and not one the One who sent you.  Don’t you suppose that God already knows what will happen?  And He sent you anyway.  We must not look at those He has sent us to serve, but at the One who did the sending.  And when we do serve others, our motive must be pure and God centered.  We should not be serving to gain the approval of others – that is unhealthy and leads to sorrow and disappointment.  Read Romans 12:1,2.