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The word “thanks” reminds me of a trip I made to a McDonald’s in Silver Spring a while back. The line was long and only one cashier line was open. A man in a shirt and tie was getting more and more frustrated. He gestured to a pair of McDonald’s workers who were sitting at a table.

“Is this the best use of resources? I mean ONE line open? At lunchtime? And they’re not even doing anything!”

The pair responded in unison, “We’re on break.”

Finally the man left, exasperated, saying, “You don’t even care do you? You don’t even care about me.”

This made such a huge impression on me because, how often do you hear language about caring in a McDonald’s line? I noticed the word, “Thanks” on the trash can flap as the man stormed out.

It made me think of another meal, rooted not in consumption but in generosity. A table set with love, with bread and wine, a place where accountants and line cooks and the unemployed and the overemployed find a place to sit together, to call each other by name. 

There is a line, but there is enough for everyone, and people smile at each other, and come with open hands. There may be words carved on the table, but it’s not an impersonal “Thanks” or worse, “Push,” as we see at many fast food places.  Here we experience anew the story of our generous and faithful God, ushering God’s own through the sea, and in the fullness of time, sending the best gift of all, the Son. No wonder we call the liturgy the Great Thanksgiving!

How do we offer this God thanks and praise? By offering ourselves as living sacrifices in union with Christ’s offering for us. By acknowledging the One who is the giver of every good and perfect gift and by modeling generosity and love and forgiveness to others.

Thanks? Oh absolutely. Thanks be. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

And no, I don’t want fries with that.

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     From the beginning, mom said, “Always remember to say thank you.” It was a way of showing that you were polite and understood that people do not have to do things, but it is great when they do.

Saying thank you was a small way to show people that you didn’t take for granted what they did and you appreciated their efforts.

For many of us, saying thank you became a matter of routine. When someone did something for us we reflexively said, “Thank you.” Then we eventually shortened it to the less formal “thanks.”

The reflexive “thanks” is great until you notice that you are no longer saying it out of appreciation but rather “just because.” You are no longer saying it because you have considered the event and are grateful; you are now saying it because that is just what you are supposed to say.

There comes a time that we have to recall the power of the word thanks. “Thanks” has to have meaning, significance and power in our vocabularies. “Thanks” should be more than a reflex but an intentional mode of communication that returns genuine gratitude for an act.

I figured there is no time like the present to give “thanks” a try.

For air to breathe. Thanks!

For people to love. Thanks!

For grace. Thanks!

For mercy. Thanks!

For salvation. Thanks!

For family. Thanks!

For friends. Thanks!

For church. Thanks!

For forgiveness. Thanks!

For redemption. Thanks!

For Psalm 23. Thanks!

For Matthew 28. Thanks!

For John 3:16. Thanks!

God, for all you have done. For all you will do. Thanks!

I really mean that.