We receive many benefits from countless people in our lifetimes. But we have to remember that the greatest thanks goes to Hashem and the people were only His messengers. This should in no way mitigate the gratitude we express and feel towards our benefactors but rather we should multiply many many times the thanks we give to people which is TREMENDOUS and via a kal va-chomer we should thank Hashem so many times more. Chazal about the dimensions of the gratitude due to people, such as the statement that if one opens his home to another - נפשו חייב לו. This is a fraction of what we owe Hashem.
[See Ani Tefilla page 52]
