The dangers of being ungrateful.

The dangers of being ungrateful.

Paul and Barnabas were preaching the Good News of Christ in the city of Lystra. In their audience was "a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked" (Acts 14: 8). Paul was used by our Lord to heal this man.

The crowds were excited and surprised by this miracle. They proclaimed Paul and Barnabas to be the Greek gods Hermes and Zeus – for who but the gods could do such a wondrous thing as heal a man lame since birth, they thought!

How many times do we, like the people of Lystra, thank the wrong person? We do that every time we give any man, including ourselves, credit instead of thanking God for his blessings.

Paul then states that the healing of the lame man points to the only living God. He tells the crowd that the healing of the lame man is only one testimony among many to the one and only true God. The healing of the lame man, just as the making of the vast Creation (Act 14:15) – as well as the revelation of Jesus Christ, point to God only. When the people of Lystra heard the Gospel and saw the healing of the lame man and saw God’s works in the vast Creation, they should have "turned to the living God" with gratefulness and in faith. (vs 15 - 18).

God is good. He does only good. We never have to fear that God will forget to provide in the smallest detail of our lives. What we must fear is that our pride and selfishness might get in God’s way. What we must fear is that we do not give ourselves back to God in gratefulness and love, when we see his mercies and wonders.

The result of this always is ungrateful thanklessness and not giving glory and sacrificial love to the Lord who provides, leading to turning away from the only God who provides. 

And leading to missing out on God’s abundant provision.