Thanks
What are you most thankful for?
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’ - Luke 17:11-19
Only one of the ten lepers came back to thank Jesus for curing him.
Jesus was traveling through Samaria, so most likely all ten were Samaritans. It is important because the Samaritans were considered poorly among the Jews, unclean, even without being lepers, so the idea that any would come to thank Jesus and praise God would have been surprising to those who heard the story.
They had their own narrative about this people. At best, Samaritans were not examples of how to live faithfully.
So, it would have been a surprise for any of the ten to return to thank Jesus, and yet Jesus asks where are the others? Were they not cured as well?
The lesson, I think, is that we are all worthy in God's eyes, and we should all give God thanks and praise for the life we are given, even if that life has its problems.
Are we like the one who is thankful for having a normal life restored, or are we like the nine who may have been angry that they had to live so long as lepers?
As we approach Thanksgiving Day in a time of pandemic, we may be angry. We may want to go back to celebrating life without restrictions, ignoring the fact that at this moment we may be healthy and safe.
We should be thankful for that and be like the one. But so many focus on the negative.
That's just how we are, I guess.
More to come...