My first year of teaching, I was overwhelmed by the number of presents I received from my students, who lived in one of America's poorest neighborhoods. I wrote out thank you cards, and gave strict orders to students to share them with their families. One mom told me later that it was the first thank you that she had ever received from a teacher. I was mortified.

Last week I was talking with a colleague about the Saturday school we had offered for students struggling in division. We offered several hours of small group instruction with TWO 5th grade teachers, a chance to retake the test and better their grade, and some open gym time. My colleague mentioned that not one parent had said "Thank you." I couldn't recall any either.

It's no secret that we live in an age of entitlement, where it is socially acceptable to ask the masses on your Facebook feed to bring you a cup of coffee, or a meal. Or where parents and children latch on to the word bully and use it every time their child experiences pain in a relationship.

Entitlement or greed can manifest in different ways. It can be an insatiable need for material things, or an inordinate desire for attention. It can be the hunger for recognition, or the isolating over-desire for personal space and downtime. Sometimes it shows itself in wanting to make all the rules of the relationship, or in insisting on respect and obedience, not for the sake of the child, but because of a need to control. It can be an insistence on justice at the expense of grace. It can even be an insistence on serving when service is not wanted. We all have to slay the giant of MORE in our journey.

A thankful heart is part of the antidote because it takes our eyes off ourselves and acknowledges the one giving to us.

I suspect most of us are good to great at being thankful to God. We hear the parable of the one leper who came back to say thank you and resolve to be that one to our Heavenly Father. And so we are. But how do we fare with one another?

Jesus has been speaking to me how "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you've done it unto me." How we treat others is how we treat the lover of our souls. If Jesus invited you to dinner, would you send him a thank you card later? If he showed up to your birthday party with a gift, would you let him know how much his presence and gift meant? Oh, but He has, and He did.

How gracious and thankful are you to your colleagues? Do you let them know how blessed you are to work with them? Do they know you like them, or would they wonder? Do you acknowledge their contributions to the team? Would Jesus feel welcome visiting your job? Because He has, you know, and He does.

What about your little ones, those God has given you to tend and give to? Can you receive from those you mentor or raise? Do you thank them for their efforts and their growth? Do you show appreciation for their talents? Do you ask for their input and allow them to teach you? Could Jesus be a child in your home? Would he feel built up and cheered up to be in your care? Because he is. In.Your.Care.

Jesus goes by 24 different names in my classroom. Today he came in sad and weeping with grief over a lost family member. He was supposed to take his state reading test. Instead we dragged the special comfy chair for him to a non-testing classroom. We let him read or write or just sit as he needed. We honored grieving Jesus.

A different student made me mad today. As we were leaving, this student yelled. Rather than have compassion on one who tested for 4 hours (including a demanding PE test) I got mad because of the noise. When I corrected the student, she began arguing disrespectfully. In a show of power, I made her return to the classroom, change her card, and return to me. I failed Jesus.This child serves me daily, doing anything that I ask of her, and I ask a lot. She has been my right hand. Rather than gratitude and mercy, I demanded penance.

Would Jesus be at home in all of my interactions, in all of my relationships? Because however I act towards you, is how HE is treated.

OH. And maybe write more thank you cards.

Kaleidoscope