People who are not thankful

Gen 40:23  Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

How could the chief butler forget something that had happened only just three days ago? Joseph pleaded on the day he interpreted the butler’s dream that he should remember him when he was restored to his chief butler’s position (Gen 40:14-15). But weeks passed into months; there was no word from the chief butler. The chief butler was too engrossed in his own happiness that he forgot all about Joseph. Because of his ingratitude, Joseph stayed in prison for another two years.

If Joseph had ill treated the chief butler while he was in prison, I’m pretty sure he would not forget Joseph for as long as he lived. He would make sure he brought a charge against Joseph in front of Pharaoh and ensured he should be hung the next day.

It is the trouble with human being. We can never forget an evil deed that was done to us, but we tend to forget a good deed that had been done for us. The chief butler was such a man; he forgot to be thankful. It is a picture of ingratitude! It is an increasing characteristic of people everywhere; ungrateful and unthankful.

Paul wrote concerning the last days and this is what he saw in human behaviour: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,” (2 Tim 3:1).

“..Disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.” What a description of this generation in the “last days”! We know that the chief butler was unthankful; how about us? Are we thankful? 

If you think you are not like the butler, consider these?

1. Are you thankful for your parents? Paul describes this generation as a generation that is “disobedient to parents.” In Confucian philosophy, filial piety (Chinese: 孝, xiào) is a virtue of respect for one's father, elders, and ancestors. Filial piety is considered a key virtue in Chinese culture, and it is the main concern of a large number of stories.

Likewise, the Bible says, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Eph 6:2). When was the last time you told your mother that you love her? When was the last time you thanked your father for raising you? Have you been rude to your parents?

2. Are you thankful for your friends and those who have done you a favour? We remember injuries and insults, but do we remember to thank those who helped us? King David remembered the kindness that the king of Ammon had done to him (2 Sam 10:2). He was thankful. God wants us to be a people who are always thankful (1 Thess 5:18).

3. Are you thankful for your blessings? Jesus healed ten lepers but only one returned to give thanks to Him (Luke 17:17-18). Only one remembered the blessing he had received from Jesus.

I have heard some who complained that God did not bless them. How unthankful and ungrateful they are! They have good health, stable job, good income, good food, good friends and family, and are enjoying life and yearly vacation. Have they considered there are many who are poor, sick, physically challenged, hungry, and without a family and etc? They need to count their blessings before they complain (Col 3:15).

4. Are you thankful for those who minister to your needs? Are you thankful for the government? Are you thankful for the workers and leaders in the church? Paul remembered his fellow workers and oftentimes mentioned them in his letters. God wants us to remember our workers and leaders in the church: “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God” (Heb 13:7). Yes, remember them in our prayers and to give thanks for the work they are labouring in the kingdom.

5. Are you thankful to God? Do you remember God as you carry on with your daily activities? Or do you remember God only on Sunday worship? I submit to you that many Christians do forget God from Mondays to Saturdays. They never say a prayer or open their bibles. Like the butler, they do not remember God but forget Him from Mondays to Saturdays.

The Christian who remembers God prays and seeks Him out daily in His words: “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psa 1:2).

We could imagine how disappointed Joseph must have felt. Joseph had treated him well while he was in prison, ministered to him, sympathized with him, and interpreted his dream. Yet when he was about the only person who knew where Joseph was, he forgot all about him.

Indeed, we are creatures of forgetfulness and we have to do something about it. We have to change this kind of bad behaviour and start remembering. Let us end each day remembering how God has blessed us and the good we have received from our friends, colleagues, and family members. Let us remember!

Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.