Ingratitude: Don’t Let It Poison You

I've developed a fun tradition over the years. I regularly stay at a handful of specific hotels while traveling for business. Every time I check out, I gift the hotel's morning staff a bottle of Northern Vessel CBL.

I'm proud of the product we've created, and I find it to be a fun little way to bless people who would never expect it. As time passed, the hotel staff started lighting up when they saw me, suspecting there might be a bottle of CBL to enjoy. They have always been grateful and gracious with me. It's been a true joy. Then, something happened......

One of my regular hotels experienced some staffing turnover. A few visits ago, I met a new woman at the desk during my check-out. When I gifted her a bottle, she simply said, "Okay, I'll put it in the fridge." No reaction, no thank you. Well, that's okay, I justified to myself. She doesn't know me or anything about NV. No big deal. On the following visit, the same woman was at the desk. As I checked out, I gave her a bottle. "Oh, it's you again. I'll put it in the back," she said with an emotionless face, then she just turned around and walked away.

Nothing snuffs out the joy of generosity like ingratitude. I was discouraged in the moment. However, that doesn't invalidate my gift. The recipient's reaction shouldn't be the ultimate measuring stick of our act. Rather, it's an output, a signal. The spirit behind the gift should always remain the key input.

Guess how many more times I'll drop a bottle of CBL at that hotel. Somewhere between zero and maybe I'll consider it. Feeling the cloud of ingratitude doesn't make me want to be less generous, but it does make me reconsider the targets of my generosity. Generosity should never be stifled, just redirected.

As such, I'll find new recipients for my giving. I'll seek to serve those who want to be served. I'll eagerly look for the grateful, while simultaneously avoiding those who exhibit ingratitude. That's not a punishment or vindictiveness. It's my attempt to be a good steward with what I've been blessed with.

Many of you have had your joy of generosity snuffed out by ingratitude. Maybe it was a friend. Maybe it was a family member. Maybe it was a stranger in need. Maybe it was your church. The pain of ingratitude can run deep.....and it can linger. There's no way around that, but it doesn't have to dampen our desire to be joyfully and sacrificially generous. Generosity always wins. Sometimes, though, we need to change it up. Keep giving. Always keep giving.

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