One Gave Thanks
Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Luke 17:17–18 (ESV)
You are a miracle. Considered one of the most influential scientists of all time, theoretical physicist Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle.”[1] Personally, I choose to believe that everything is, as I am sure many others do. For instance, your brain is capable of performing 10 quadrillion calculations per second with just 20 watts of power and has a storage capacity of 2.5 petabytes. To put that into perspective, it is equivalent to 250 libraries of Congress.[2] What is my point? Not only are we surrounded by miracles, but as God’s image bearer, we are all a miracle. Today, you will breathe in and out about 22,000 times.[3] Although breathing is not something we are usually conscious of, we can intentionally express gratitude for each and every breath we take.
In Luke 17, Jesus is on His final journey to Jerusalem. As He faces the shadow of the cross, Jesus travels through Samaria and Galilee; He enters an unnamed village and is met by 10 desperate lepers. According to Jewish law and public customs, these lepers were outcasts from local society and banished from any involvement with others who were not “contaminated” like them. When people approached lepers, they had to yell "Unclean!" to avoid inadvertently spreading the disease to passersby. Yet, when they see Jesus, the unclean lepers scream out to the spotless Jesus a request, “Have mercy on us!” And the all-loving Savior does, He shows mercy through the miracle of healing each one of them. The story of Jesus healing ten people is remarkable. However, the most striking portion for Luke is how only one of the ten healed people returned to thank Jesus. What adds an even greater layer of tension is a Samaritan, the least likely person expected to be grateful to a Jewish Rabbi like Jesus, comes back and falls at His feet with joy. But why?
It appears that after the nine lepers were declared healed by the Jewish priests, they were afraid to go back and identify themselves with Jesus. Or maybe they were so caught up in the miracle of healing and their eagerness to see their families that they forgot that the purpose of all miracles is to point us to the Miracle Worker.[4] Luke’s account does not record that the nine lepers were any less healed than the one leper who came back, but he does imply that they were less grateful. The lesson? While we may not have experienced the miracle of being cured of leprosy, you and I are no less a miracle and have a lot to be grateful for. Scripture reminds us of the importance of gratitude in Ephesians 5:20, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Today, may you find great encouragement and joyful gratitude in knowing that you are a miracle!
REFLECT
Have you ever experienced unexpected expressions of gratitude from people? How does this challenge your assumptions and expectations of others?
Have you ever received a blessing but forgotten to express gratitude to God, like the nine lepers? What distractions in your life prevent you from giving thanks?
Take a moment to reflect on your week and write three specific things that you are grateful to God for. It can be something as simple or as detailed as you would like.
Reflect on three things you are thankful for concerning your skills, talents, or personality. Consider affirmations you have received from others or times God has personally revealed them to you. It may seem self-centered, but it is meaningful to remember that our abilities, personalities, and very being are miracles from God.
