“Dad, can you get me some water?” my youngest daughter asked. “Sure,” I said, bringing her a full cup. She took it wordlessly. Then my oldest daughter made the same request. She didn’t respond either after I got her some water. Annoyed, I blurted out, “Is anyone going to say, ‘Thank you’? Why is that so hard?”

Sometimes there’s nothing like parental frustration to open the door for God to work. Immediately, I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit: Yes, Adam, why is it so hard to say “Thank you”? Busted. Turns out a lack of gratitude isn’t just my kids’ problem; it’s mine, too.

I don’t know why saying thank you can be so hard, but it certainly seems to be a part of the human condition. In the psalms, however, we see a model for growing in gratitude. There, David and others often praise God amid myriad trials. And a particular phrase frequently precedes their thanksgiving: “I will.”

In Psalm 9:1, David deliberately chooses thankfulness: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” We might be prone to think of gratitude primarily as a feeling. But David reminds us that it’s also a choice.

Like David, as we choose to cultivate a habit of giving thanks, we can gradually grow to recognize and appreciate God’s goodness in every aspect of life.

An older man jogging down a street in New York City stopped in his tracks when he noticed a pair of battered sneakers placed near a homeless man’s sign requesting help. When the jogger learned that the two men wore a similar size, he gave the younger, homeless man the shoes (and socks!) off his feet and walked home barefoot. But not before explaining, “I’ve been blessed my whole life. God has been very good to me, so I feel like I should bless you too.”

Just as this man showed kindness to another because God had been good to him, so too believers in Jesus are called to “clothe [our]selves with . . . kindness” (Colossians 3:12). In fact, in whatever we do or say, we’re to do it as “a representative of the Lord Jesus” (v. 17 NLT). Along with kindness, we’re also to embody the characteristics of compassion, humility, gentleness, and patience (v. 12). These fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) grow in us because we have the Spirit dwelling inside us; and they evidence God’s love for us flowing out to others—binding all these virtues “together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14).

Like the jogger, may we be on alert for opportunities to be kind—an encouraging word, a thoughtful act, or even giving the shoes off our feet—and as we do, let’s point to Jesus (v. 17).

Corey Brooks—“The Rooftop Pastor”—spent 343 days living on the rooftop of his church on Chicago’s south side to inspire community transformation. Online, Brooks posted a “shout-out” to his elementary school teacher, Joe Stokes, who taught him four unforgettable lessons: the power of perseverance, the importance of integrity, the value of community engagement, and the impact of education.

By embracing Solomon’s wisdom in Proverbs 3, we likewise can strive to live in ways that have community impact. Solomon taught four lessons that are just right for those who trust in God and are called to be a positive force: “Trust in the Lord” (v. 5); “fear the Lord and shun evil” (v. 7); “honor the Lord with your wealth” (v. 9); “do not despise the Lord’s discipline” (v. 11). Such wisdom compels us to be God-focused, but there are people-touching dimensions to our faith too.

In Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus, the ultimate embodiment of wisdom, eloquently described the internal disposition of believers in Jesus. Furthermore, He reminded them that they were high-impact people. “You are the salt of the earth” (v. 13). “You are the light of the world” (v. 14). As such, we are honored to, “Let [our] light shine . . . that they may see [our] good deeds and glorify [our] Father in heaven” (v. 16).