We rob God, and hurt his heart, every time we receive any favor at whatsoever hand, and fail to speak our praise to him.
Whatever we may say about man's ingratitude to his fellow-men, there is no question about man's lack of gratitude to God.

We are continually receiving mercies and favors from him, and yet, are there not days and days with most of us, in which we lift no heart and speak no word in praise?
Our prayers are largely requests and supplications for help and favor, with but little adoration and worship.

We continue asking and asking, and God continues giving and giving; but how many of us remember always or often to give thanks for answered prayer?
The angel of requests--so the legend runs--goes back from earth heavily laden every time he comes to gather up the prayers of men.

But the angel of thanksgiving, of gratitude, has almost empty hands as he returns from his errands to this world.

Yet ought we not to give thanks for all that we receive and for every answered request?
If we were to do this our hearts would always be lifted up toward God in praise.
There is a story of some great conductor of a musical festival suddenly throwing up his baton, and stopping the performance, crying, "Flageolet!" The flageolet was not doing its part and the conductor's trained ear missed its one note in the large orchestra.