Gratitude - A Missing Attitude

Failure to give thanks is inexcusable. When we do not express gratitude, we are either not thankful or else we seemingly do no want to be bothered with the effort. Perhaps the best illustration of this is the biblical story of Jesus' healing the ten lepers.

"Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us!'When he saw them, he said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were cleansed" (Luke 17:11-14).

Leprosy was a terrible disease. Those who had it were forced to leave their homes and live in leper colonies. If, perchance, someone who had leprosy thought they had been healed, they were to go to the priests--the only ones authorized to pronounce them cured.

The instructions of Jesus involved a promise. Why go to the priests unless they were healed? The command indicated that if they went, they would be cured. Jesus put their faith to a test. He asked them to act as if they were healed. It is important to note that Scripture records, "As they went, they were cleansed." They did not wait until they were healed but began immediately in faith expecting to be found healed by the priest.

We applaud their faith and rejoice over this miracle. However, the sad note of this account is that only one of the ten returned to give his thanks. He showed his gratefulness and appreciation by glorifying God in a loud voice and falling down on his face before the Lord. Jesus accepted his gratitude, but in disappointment remarked, "Were there not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?"

Certainly, there were overjoyed to be healed of the dread disease so they could once again return to their families, homes and work. But in the midst of their blessing, they failed to make the effort to return and give thanks. How often we are guilty of this as well. Do we remember to say "thank you" when we sit down to eat, when others extend their help, or for life and its many blessings?

Jesus said to the one who came back to say thank you, "Rise and go, your faith has made you well" (Luke 17:19). Since the man was already healed of leprosy--what did the Lord mean by this statement? Jesus was referring to a spiritual cleansing from sin that comes through confession of faith. The Bible states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith..." (Ephesians 2:8).

Gratitude - the Correct Attitude

One of the Gospel stories that always captured my interest was the account of Jesus healing the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19). Leprosy today has pretty much been eradicated except in some limited areas of the third world. However in biblical times it was a dreaded disease that affected many regardless of their standing in life.

Once someone was determined to have leprosy, they were forced to separate from their homes and families. As a result they usually ended up living with other lepers and supported themselves by begging.

In Luke's Gospel, the details are as follows: As Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee he came to a village and outside the town a group of ten men who had leprosy called out to him, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" Lepers were required to stay at a distance since people did not want to come in contact with them and maybe contract the disease. When Jesus saw them he said, "Go show yourself to the priests." As they went, they were cleansed. One of the man, when he saw he was healed, came back praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him.

Jesus asked, "Were not all then cleansed? Where are the other nine?" What has always impressed me is that only one out of the ten bothered to take the time and effort to say "thank you." It seems that asking for help or for more of this or that comes easier than bothering to say "thanks."

Ingratitude is a most despicable attitude. We who live in the United States of America are truly fortunate! When you consider the abundance of things that we have in comparison to the rest of the world - we are indeed blessed! Beside all the necessities of food, clothing and shelter we have so much other "stuff" that people who live in underdeveloped countries can only imagine as things they might have seen in pictures or movies.

Yet despite all our blessing, how many are really grateful and will take the time to thank and worship the "Heavenly Father" who is the ultimate source of all our blessings? Probably about the same 10% that did so in the Gospel story. Do not be one of the nine--do what the one healed man did and thank God for your blessings not only at Thanksgiving season, but throughout all the year! (Ephesians 5:20)