A Lesson in Gratitude

"On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men with skin diseases approached him, keeping their distance from Him." (Luke 17:11-12)

Imagine being one of those ten men. Imagine the pain, the isolation, the rejection, and the fear that come with leprosy. Imagine knowing that, according to the Mosaic law, they had to distance themselves from others, tear their clothes, and cry, "unclean, unclean." Imagine the hopelessness and despair that must have filled their hearts.

And yet, these lepers knew something that many of us forget: they knew how to cry out for mercy. "Jesus, Master, show us mercy!" they lifted their voices (Luke 17:13).

Lifting up your voice is symbolic of prayer. If you want God to intervene in your situation, then it is imperative that you lift your voice in prayer.

They recognized Jesus as their only hope, and they pleaded with him for mercy. And what did Jesus do? He "saw them and said to them, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were cleansed" (Luke 17:14). However, one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, returned and praised God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus' feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:15-16)

So many receive healing and deliverance, but very few people come and give glory to the Lord by testifying.

This story teaches us several lessons about gratitude. First, gratitude is a choice. We can choose to focus on what we don't have, or we can choose to be thankful for what we do have. The leper who returned to Jesus made a conscious choice to express his gratitude, and he was blessed because of it.

Second, gratitude is a form of worship. When we thank God for his blessings, we acknowledge His goodness, His love, and His mercy. We glorify Him and give Him the honour He deserves.

Finally, gratitude is contagious. When we express our gratitude, we inspire others to do the same. We spread joy and hope, and we become a blessing to those around us.

As we go about our daily lives, let us remember the lepers and their cry for mercy. Let us also remember the one who returned to thank Jesus, and let us follow his example. Let us choose to be grateful, to worship God, and to spread joy of the Lord and His hope wherever we go.

A Lesson in Gratitude

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