The person who thinks they achieved success alone can be likened to someone who thinks they magically arrived at the penthouse floor without somehow bypassing all the other floors it took to get there. There is no such thing as a free-floating penthouse. Anyone who has climbed the ladder of success or achieved anything worthwhile has done so on the shoulders of those who acted as a staircase. If I were to list all the people who enriched my life and contributed to each of my own successes, it would read like one of those seemingly endless genealogies in the Bible.
Outside of my own family, there’s been a host of other people who generously sowed into my life. These kind souls became advocates for all I endeavored to do. I am truly grateful to each of these individuals who blessed me with their friendship, kindness, generosity, instruction, favor, correction and forgiveness.
I bet if you gave it some serious thought you could come up with a pretty healthy list of people who’ve made a significant difference in your life.
One of the worst feelings in the world is to feel unappreciated; we all know what that feels like. You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like to be acknowledged or shown appreciation in some way. It’s important to show appreciation to the personal pillars of your life. If they feel appreciated, they’re much more likely to keep their beams of support in place for you. Andrew Lyon once said, “It is not how much we love and appreciate someone, it is how much they knew it.”
Sadly, very few people ever give credit to the people who’ve made the greatest contribution to their lives. In failing to do so they dishonor God in huge way. Letting people know how much they’re appreciated is a Godly act, and one that doesn’t happen often enough in our often thankless society.
Success of any kind is never a solo journey; it is a joint venture in which many hands play a part in the final sculpture. Be sure to give honor to the stonecutters and artisans in your life: those special individuals who’ve helped turn your raw material into precious gemstones.
When you take the time to share your gratitude with the people who have made a difference in your life, you honor God in a big way. Remember, he loves a grateful heart and this sense of gratitude opens up the windows of heaven to pour out even more blessings on you than you thought possible.
©Copyright 2016, Zoro The Drummer, All rights reserved
