Outward Gratitude

A few years back, my husband and I read the book, The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. If you haven’t read or heard of this book, it states that each person has a preferred language, or way to express love. They like to live out this by both communicating and living in ways that express their preferred love language, as well as being shown love through words and actions that are aligned with the preference that affirm them. 

It was no surprise when a few years later a second edition of the book was published – The 5 Love Languages of Children, providing parents with a deeper understanding of how they can connect and express love to their children, knowing that each one is unique and made in the image of the Father. This book helped us as parents consider our own children, and the things that were important as we expressed love individually, and how they in turn expressed their love to us and those around them.

Before we began reading, my husband Des made a big statement and said, “I’m calling it early, you are a gifts person”. I smiled. It was true – I loved receiving flowers and gifts. But I wasn’t convinced that it would be my number one love language, and I thought to myself, ‘Maybe – but let’s read this and find out together’.

It turned out that I was not a gifts person as Des had anticipated. We learned together that I deeply appreciate Acts of Service – I love it when someone sets the table, or when the bed has been made for me, or when the dishes get done or when someone offers to make a cup of tea. I too like to ‘get things done’ and feel a great sense of satisfaction when I know that my actions have helped someone or enabled something to happen.

What is your love language? Words of affirmation; Physical touch; Receiving Gifts; Quality time or Acts of Service? You might even have a couple which really speak loudly as you reflect on them.

If we take the principle of Love Languages, there will be different ways of expressing gratitude in a wonderfully diverse community like DCC. Everything ranging from gifts, to time, to little acts of kindness, to words and a high five – they are all ways in which we can outwardly demonstrate our gratitude to the people around us.

This week, take a moment to talk with your children about the ways in which they appreciate being supported by gratitude and love – and help them to consider the different ways they can express gratitude to others as we become a community that shines Jesus’ love through ‘outward gratitude’.