Count your blessings, then go change the world.

Here comes Thanksgiving once again. Bring on the canned cranberries, green-bean casserole, and pumpkin-spice lattes.

Along with Thanksgivings comes the stark reminder that we need to be thankful. For family, for friends, for all of the really "important" things. Usually, though, I have a terrible habit of leaving out some simple but essential things from my list of thankfulness.

I am really bad about thanking God for the little, basic physical necessities that I have. In fact, I think that we all can be guilty of this at times.

Take clean water, for example. When was the last time that you thanked Jesus that you had clean water? Sure, this is not an ultimate thing, such as family, love, or salvation. But there are millions of people around the world who are dying for lack of clean water. Their lives are consumed by the grotesque chore of looking for clean water, and their days are haunted by the fear of illness.

The only reason that you have clean water is because God decided to let you. Do you realize that? You are not entitled to clean water. Not at all. After all, the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. Including the clean water that comes from your faucet every single day. And the clean water you shower in. And the clean water in the ice in your slushy from Sonic. It is only by the grace of God that you do not have to worry whether or not your water is contaminated.

God does not bless us with physical things so that we can just sit here and be thankful. No, God (as always) has something even better in store for us. He has blessed us richly with physical materials so that we can go and give them away. That is the true beauty of his blessings -- He isn't giving us things merely to enjoy. He is equipping us to go and help a hurting and needy world.

Be thankful that God has given you clean water -- and then go give someone a glass of water. Be thankful that God has given you a warm home -- and then invite someone in so that he can warm himself by the fire. Be thankful that you have a closet full of warm clothes -- and then give some clothes to someone who will otherwise be freezing this winter.

We always think that we don't have the ability to really make a difference. We wait on God to give us a chance and a way to change the world. But I want you to take a step back and look at what you already have. The Lord has given you everything that you need to be Jesus to those around you.

So, my challenge for you is this -- count your blessings. See what God has blessed you with, whether it's money, time, energy, food, clothing, clean water -- count them, one by one, and then go change the world.

780 million people in the world do not have access to clean water (water.org). Photo by Haley Chester