“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.” – Luke 17:15-16
In the Gospel of Luke, there is a brief story that takes place as Jesus and his disciples are on their way to Jerusalem. They were in an area that was occupied by Samaritans. Some Samaritans had heard that Jesus was in the area. These Samaritans were afflicted by leprosy. They set out in search of Jesus and when they found him, they begged him, “Have mercy on us.”
Jesus did not flee from the men in fear for his health. He did not hold back mercy from them because they were Samaritans and not Jews. Jesus extended mercy. He offered all ten healing and invited them to go see the priests. In the time of Jesus, it was the priest who certified healing. When they arrived at the priest, they were found healed and their relationship with the community was restored.
After hearing this great news, Luke tells us that one of the men went in search of Jesus so that he could express his gratitude. He found Jesus, “He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.” It was a beautiful picture of thanksgiving for a life that had been saved.
Luke offers this story as an ultimate reminder of the importance of gratitude. When we experience good in our lives, we often feel great joy. We do not always remember to say, “thank you.” Gratitude is an intentional expression. It is not always part of what we do, and this is evident by the absence of the other nine at the end of this story.
I want to encourage you today to be intentional about gratitude. We have so much to be thankful for. When we experience good, we must be deliberate about expressing our gratitude. Saying thank you increases our joy and the joy of the one who receives our gratitude. Today, start your prayer with gratitude. Offer God your gratitude for the many blessings in your life. It is good to give thanks and it helps us to have a better perspective on everything else we are facing.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
