Chutzpah

[112 words]

Yiddish is a fascinating language. Its words capture nuances other languages miss. One such word is chutzpah, loosely defined as “unmitigated gall.” Its meaning is better illustrated:

A woman street vendor sold a delicacy for a quarter. One man gave her a quarter every day, but never took a cookie. After several years, he gave her his usual quarter and she said, “They have gone up. They are thirty-five cents now.”

More of us are like that than we might think. Regular blessings received, Whether from employers, other human benefactors or God, are often taken for granted. Instead of expressing gratitude for having them, we complain when they are taken away.

Cecil May Jr.
via Preacher Talk
Montgomery, AL