One day Jesus healed ten men of the dreaded, wasting disease of leprosy. As soon as they were healed, they took off running. Running to get back home to family and friends, and good home cooking. You see, they had been quarantined as social outcasts for a long time. As they ran, one of the men suddenly realized he had forgotten to thank his Healer. He turned around, ran back to Jesus, fell down at Jesus’ feet and gave thanks.
Jesus asked, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17) Jesus shared human nature. He felt the ingratitude. Only one out of the ten came back to thank Him.
The Unthankful Majority
Most people are unthankful. They don’t mean to be. It just seems to come naturally. We all appreciate the blessings and favors God and others give us. We just don’t say “Thank you” often enough.
Chances are, you won’t be thanked for most of the things you do in this life. Just as Jesus wasn’t thanked by most of those men who were healed. But Jesus healed them anyway. And Jesus is our example in all things.
Being thankful tells a lot about a person’s character. It tells us if that person is courteous, kind and thoughtful. It shows even more. It shows if that person can be trusted with more blessings and favors.
Our Response
Are you like the man in the Bible who came back and thanked Jesus? Or like the majority who kept on running? We all need to be programmed by default to be more thankful. And to remember to tell others, especially those closest to us how much they are loved and appreciated. Let’s ask God to give us a gratitude attitude, not just during holiday seasons or on special occasions, but every day.
God gave Jesus to make possible our healing from a terminal disease–the disease of sin. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
