Those of us who are Millennials have probably been accused at least once of being entitled or ungrateful. And to be honest, we are. Not because we were born a certain year though. But because we are human. I think it's part of the fallen, sinful nature to be ungrateful. To feel entitled. Selfish and prideful even. We have to learn, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to overcome these things. But it doesn't happen overnight. I know I've spent most of my life at least somewhat selfish and ungrateful. Sure. I would thank someone here or there. I would thank God in my prayers. I would have moments of sincere gratefulness. But I don't believe I had a thankful heart. And as a parent, I can see that same sinful nature show itself in my kids. Thankfulness doesn't come naturally. It's something you have to learn and teach and practice.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is of the thankful leper. You can read it for yourself in Luke chapter 17. But I'll give you the gist of it. First, let me remind you of what leprosy is. It's a horrible disease that basically eats away at your body. And at the time, it was feared to be contagious and fatal. So the unfortunate people who had this disease were separated from their families and forced to live outside the villages as beggars. I can't imagine the misery and loneliness people must have felt while they basically waited to die. So when Jesus stopped to talk to ten of these outcasts and see them as more than their disease, it was a really big deal. And when Jesus sent them to the temple to be declared clean, it was life changing to say the least. Nine of the healed lepers kept running as they saw their sores vanish. Of course. They were excited. They had been healed! No longer an untouchable! They wanted to get back to their families. Can you blame them? But one man ran back to thank Jesus. Who in turn, it seems, was touched by this man's thankful heart.
Another thankful person in the Bible was Paul. We know that David was a man after God's own heart. But I think you could say that Paul was a man with a thankful heart. Paul continually and consistently thanked God and other Christians all throughout His letters. He called himself the worst of all sinners and was fully aware that he had been saved by grace. And not just saved, but also transformed and used powerfully by God. Paul was very thankful.
Something that both the thankful leper and Paul had in common was that they had been saved from much. One saved from a disease of the flesh another a disease of the heart. Both knew they would have died without Jesus, and they were thankful. But aren't we all saved from much? Jesus has saved us all from sin and death. And now we (if we accept it) have undeserved mercy and grace and a promise of eternal life.
Over the past year or two I have been actively trying to be grateful. Making it a part of my life, practicing it, and teaching my kids. I don't just meditate on the things I'm thankful for, I've been trying to reach out and thank the people in my life. And I feel like the Grinch whose heart tripled in size. The more I thanked, the more love I felt. The closer I felt to God. The more I understood that I'm not alone. I'm a product of God's grace and lots of amazing people who love me. I am thankful -- for Jesus and all the people He put in my life. And now I can see that a thankful heart is a happy heart, fully aware of God's goodness and provision. So as we enter the season of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to reach out and sincerely thank someone. It will probably make their day, and it will be good for your heart, too. Something to keep in mind is that all ten lepers were healed, not just the thankful one. We don't have to be grateful. I don't know about you, but I still want to be like the man who turned around. And Paul who lived for Christ. I want to break the stereotype I've been given because of the generation I'm in. I want to live a life that makes Jesus smile. I want to have a thankful heart.
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Psalms 100:4-5
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:15-17
"Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
"Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance When he saw them, he said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were cleansed. 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. Jesus asked, 'Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?' Then he said to him, Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'”
Luke 17:11-19
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