A few days ago my husband and I were working on our taxes. It was a depressing activity, and I found myself muttering under my breath about government spending, politicians, and the unfairness of it all.
The following day, I read an article about Betsie and Corrie ten Boom. Most of us are familiar with the story of the ten Boom sisters, who were imprisoned during World War II for harboring Jewish refugees. Along with others, the sisters lived in horrible conditions, their barracks dark, foul-smelling, and filthy. Worse, though, were the patrols by the guards. The sisters worried constantly the the guards would see their Bible and take it away.
To make matters worse, the barracks were infested with fleas. No one could move without being covered with the bugs. The sisters knew of the scripture concerning gratitude and the commandmenet that they should be thankful for all things. Betsie told Corrie that they should be grateful for the fleas. Corrie wasn't certain she could honestly do this, but she and Betsie thanked God for even the fleas.
Weeks passed. The fleas continued to infest their cells, but Corrie noticed something. Because of the fleas, the guards wouldn't step into the barracks. The sisters were able to keep their Bible without fear of the guards finding it. In addition, they could hold worship meetings and share the message of Christ's love with other prisoners.
I have never endured circumstances close to what the ten Boom sisters suffered. I grumble, complain, and whine about any number of small matters, but I decided to accept the challenge of being grateful for all things. Could I be grateful even for taxes?
I thought about what our taxes pay for. (Truthfully, I started getting depressed at that point.) Then I realized that taxes provide for the armed services, the men and women who put their lives at risk to safeguard our nation and to protect all of us.
So, for today, I am (trying to be) grateful for taxes. I am always grateful that I live in the United States of America.
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