The Power of Thank You

Hey, carpool crew. I'm gonna give you an easy thing that's gonna really feel like a superpower if you use it regularly. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here today. Have you ever noticed how powerful the words thank you are? All month long, we're talking about thankfulness, that it's not just something we do in November, and it's not just a day of the year, but being thankful is something we can do every day, all year long. Two small words. Thank you. They can change someone's whole day. When you say thank you, you're doing more than using good manners. You are reminding people that God's goodness is real and that you see it, because every good thing we have, every meal, every friend, every new day comes from God. In Psalm chapter 107 verse one, it says, give thanks to the Lord for his good. His faithful love endures forever. This verse comes from the Book of Psalms, a collection of songs and prayers written by people who had seen both hard times and good times. When life was difficult, they still sang, God is good. When life was difficult, they still sang, God is good. When life was amazing, they sang the same thing, God is good. Why? Because saying thank you to God wasn't just pretending everything was perfect. It was about remembering that he is good. If Jesus were sitting in the backseat or at the breakfast table, he might say, when you say thank you to me or to someone else, you're spreading God's love. Gratitude reminds people that good still exists because God is good. Don't ever think your thank you is too small or not needed. Everyone needs to hear thank you, because everyone matters. Imagine your teacher helps you after class with a tough problem. You could just pack up your stuff and leave, or you could stop, smile, and say, thank you for helping me. That moment doesn't seem like a big deal, but it will make your teacher's day. It reminds them that kindness and gratitude still exist in the world, that God is good. Or maybe your mom or dad makes dinner or your grandparent drives you to practice. When you say, thanks for doing that, yes, it's being polite, but it's also living out your faith. Your thankfulness is a reflection of God's goodness in your life. So what's something you can do to live this out today? Well, first, say thank you at least five times today on purpose. Say thank you to a teacher, thank you to a friend, to a coach, to a parent, to a sibling. Make sure you look them in the eye, you mean it, and say thank you. You will be amazed how something so small can make such a big difference. Thankfulness doesn't just change the person, you think. It changes you a little bit. It turns ordinary moments into moments of how good God really is, and it forces you to remember this simple truth that God is good, God is good. So remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if your family loves carpooling with Jesus, you can subscribe to get all of our weekend episodes too. This weekend we're talking about two great topics, being thankful instead of being jealous and writing thank you notes and how they can make a huge difference. You won't wanna miss them. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts so your family can keep growing in thankfulness this month. Now before you go, answer this question together. Who's someone you can say thank you to today, and how could those words show them God's goodness? I'll see you this weekend, subscribers, and everyone else, I'll see you on Monday on carpooling with Jesus.