Acknowledgement (or how to be humble)

My barista was learning how to make the milky leaf and had her first success on mine!

As a voracious reader from an early age I have tackled a lot of challenging reads. Books that many consider boring, too long, or advanced I devour at rapid rates. I could read hard stuff! Except for the Introduction and The Acknowledgements. Those were BORING! My childish mind thought,"What is the point?" (I also hated the credits in movies.) If it's not part of the story I was not interested! 

These days I  read the Acknowledgments. They are not exciting and generally sound the same in every book, but that does not make them of less value. In my opinion, they might be the most important part on any book (and that roll of credits might be the most important part of a movie). Somebody put time, energy, emotion, love, and skill into the book I hold in my hand, and it is not the work of someone all by their lonesome. No, they had teachers, loved ones, publishers, etc, etc, all allowing that creative act to be in my hands. The author chooses to give credit to some of those people, so in my small way of reading The Acknowledgments I will give them that credit as well. 

For the same reason, if I am not particularly pressed for time, I sit through movie credits. I can't read them all (speed reading on a screen is hard), but all those people were a part of creating the film I just enjoyed, not just the actors and directors. This is what acknowledgements are about: noticing what someone has achieved or created.

Those who create, whether it be great art, music, and literature, or the food we sit down to eat deserve an acknowledgement. Only God creates from Nothing, but as His image bearers we are give the chance to create every single day.  So here is my Acknowledgment Manifesto:

I will say Hello and Please and Thank You. 

I will pay a fair price for goods when I can, and leave tips.

I will compliment achievements of those I know.

I will write thank you notes.

I will applaud generously.

I will read your name in the back of books and the end of movies.

I will praise God for the gifts that He bestows on those around me.

To those of you who read this post, Thank You! It means a great deal that you took the time to view my small act of creation.

What will you do to acknowledge those who create today?