In September, I attended the national meeting of the Baptist Bible Fellowship in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It was on Cape Cod that the Pilgrim’s first landed in 1620. Several of us went north to view Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower 2, and Burial Hill. Those Pilgrim’s who landed almost 400 years ago knew nothing of the affluent American lifestyle we enjoy today. More than half of the original settlers died that first harsh New England winter. Following a successful agricultural season, aided by Squanto and other Native Americans, the Pilgrims shared a harvest feast in gratitude for all God had done for them.
While the Pilgrims did not have much, they possessed gratitude. Since then, gratitude to God has been a part of the American culture; it is the very thing that built America.
Of all our attitudes, gratitude is the most central. Cicero once said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all others.” There is nothing more toxic than a negative attitude. And there is nothing that compares with the value of a humility that allows us to be truly grateful for everything that we have.
The Bible encourages gratitude…
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)
“Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:” (Psalm 50:14)
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6)
One Grateful Leper
One of my favorite stories in the Bible about being thankful is in Luke 17:11-19. As Jesus traveled with His disciples through Samaria toward Jerusalem and the cross, He met a small group of ten lepers. This must have been an interesting encounter. I can imagine the awkward silence between disciples and lepers. Jesus had healed lepers before. Would He do it again? Could He do it for ten?
As the lepers cried, “Have mercy on us.” Jesus directed them to go to see the priest. As they left, I expect they were a little disappointed. They finally met Jesus the Miracle Worker and left exactly as they came. Nothing changed. Jesus may have been their last hope. If He couldn’t help them, they were doomed with a life of sickness and isolation.
But as they went, something miraculous happened to them. They were cleansed. I’m sure they were so excited that they ran to tell their family and friends and share the good news. Then we pick up the Bible story about one of the lepers…
“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:15-19)
One man turned around and went back to Jesus, falling before His feet and thanking Him. Jesus was pleased with his actions, but He seems to be grieved at the absence of the other nine. Weren’t they cleansed as well? Why did only one return to thank Him?
I don’t know what happened to 90% of the group. Perhaps they journeyed on to show themselves to the priest in obedience to the instruction of Jesus. Maybe they ran back to their families. One of them could have said, ‘I want to see if this really lasts.’ But from Jesus’ response, only one of them did the right thing. He wasn’t content to see the priest. He wanted to see Jesus. Overcome with gratitude, he paused to turn around and offer thanks.
I hope today that you will be one of the few. Even if most others do not, be the one who says ‘Thank You.’
You can read my other articles about gratitude: An Extravagant Act of Love, The REAL first Thanksgiving, Life Lessons from a Bag of Skittles.