Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” – Luke 17:17-19 (NLT)
It’s really easy for me to spot an ungrateful attitude. My problem is that I can more easily see it in others than I can see it in myself.
Here in Luke 17, it’s not very hard to notice that of the ten lepers who were healed, only one turned to go back and thank Jesus for his healing. The other nine went on about life and never looked back. Aside from the miraculous healing, the one who returned – this Samaritan fellow who was the least likely – experienced something that he had never before experienced, especially from a Jewish person! He found Someone who truly loved and cared about him.
My initial reaction to the behavior of the other nine is not a very positive one. How could those men possibly continue walking the opposite direction? It was is though the only thing Jesus had done for them was offer them directions to the nearest restaurant or gas station. How ungrateful these nine men were! And how sad that is!
But I’m reminded of a quote I recently heard from a pastor during his sermon. “Whenever I’m reading Scripture and a bad character appears, I would do well to try identifying with him before condemning him. Because the truth is that I’m a lot closer to having his character than the character of Jesus.”
And it’s true. As much as I want to identify with the one who returned to thank and praise Jesus, I’m much more like the other nine who never looked back.
Ingratitude has such a subtle way of sneaking into our lives, and in a way we often don’t recognize. Take prayer, for example. How many times do we cry out to God for help, only to ignore Him after He answers? We’re quick to bring Him our problems, but not always as quick to bring Him our praise. Or think about our daily routines: when was the last time we stopped what we were doing to thank God for the little things, like the beauty of a morning sunrise, or the breeze on a hot summer day, or a warm bed to sleep in, or food on the table, or even the air we breathe? Instead, we grumble about what we don’t have or focus on what’s not going right in our lives.
The truth is, when we fail to express gratitude, we’re a lot like those nine lepers who kept walking. We take the blessings and move on as if they’re somehow owed to us. But when we stop, really stop, and turn back to thank God, something shifts in our hearts. Gratitude has a way of recentering us, reminding us of who God is and what He’s done.
Today, let’s make it a point to practice our gratitude in specific ways. We can start by thanking God for one answered prayer we’ve overlooked. Then, as we go about our day, we can pause and recognize His goodness in the small moments. Gratitude is discipline, and the more we practice it, the more we’ll become like the one leper who returned – not because we have to, but because we genuinely want to.
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich”
Because of what the Lord has done for us
Give thanks.
“Give Thanks” by Henry Smith (1978)
Former Blackout Artist 