But words of true gratitude are always to human
hearts like cups of water to thirsty lips. We need not fear turning
people's heads by genuine expressions of thankfulness; on the other
hand, nothing inspires such humility, such reverent praise to God, as
the knowledge which such gratitude brings,--that one has been used of
God to help, or bless, or comfort another life.
Silence is said to be golden, and ofttimes, indeed, it is better than
speech. "It is a fine thing in friendship," says George MacDonald, "to
know when to be silent." There are times when silence is the truest,
fittest, divinest, most blessed thing, when words would only mar the
hallowed sweetness of love's ministry. But there are times again when
silence is disloyalty, cruelty, unkind as winter air to tender plants.
Especially is this true of gratitude; to be coldly silent, when the
heart is grateful, is a sin against love. When we have a word of
thanks in our heart, which we feel we might honestly speak, and which
we do not speak, we have sorely wronged our friend.
Especially in homes ought there to be more grateful expression. We
wrong home friends more than any other friends. Home is where love is
truest and tenderest. We need never fear being misunderstood by the
loved ones who there cluster about us. Yet too often home is the very
place where we are most miserly of grateful and appreciative words.
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