Thankfulness
This morning our men explored the story in Luke 17 of the ten lepers who were cleansed by Christ, but only one returned to thank Him, and he was a Samaritan. I know the Lord spoke to all of us about being thankful.
I had to ask a question to get us started thinking. I asked them to consider why it is so hard for us to be thankful and to express our appreciation to God and to other people. We came up with several good insights. Of course, pride is a central reason for a lack of expressing real thankfulness. Also, our independent spirit leads us to be self-sufficient, so that we don't think we need others or even the Lord, so we are not thankful for them. The last thing was that many people have an entitlement mentality. They think they are just supposed to be supplied with all they want, so when they get it, they do not feel the need to express thanks.
However, Jesus told this true story for a reason. We all need to be faithful. In this case it was the hated Samaritan who showed up the Jewish lepers. He was humble, and he was praising God for his healing. He was the only one willing to express his appreciation for being set free from the terrible isolation and death through leprosy. That is what we have to do, too. We have to be humble and willing to admit our sincere thanks to God for everything He does for us. I pray that we will all practice being thankful and expressing our thanks to God and to others each day.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 19-21.
I had to ask a question to get us started thinking. I asked them to consider why it is so hard for us to be thankful and to express our appreciation to God and to other people. We came up with several good insights. Of course, pride is a central reason for a lack of expressing real thankfulness. Also, our independent spirit leads us to be self-sufficient, so that we don't think we need others or even the Lord, so we are not thankful for them. The last thing was that many people have an entitlement mentality. They think they are just supposed to be supplied with all they want, so when they get it, they do not feel the need to express thanks.
However, Jesus told this true story for a reason. We all need to be faithful. In this case it was the hated Samaritan who showed up the Jewish lepers. He was humble, and he was praising God for his healing. He was the only one willing to express his appreciation for being set free from the terrible isolation and death through leprosy. That is what we have to do, too. We have to be humble and willing to admit our sincere thanks to God for everything He does for us. I pray that we will all practice being thankful and expressing our thanks to God and to others each day.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 19-21.