Um...A 'Thank You' Would Be Nice

Um...A 'Thank You' Would Be Nice

Posted on 3:57 PM by Unknown | 1 comment

This week's post is from Alexis Wood:

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
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?
(Luke 17:12-17)

I volunteer part time answering the help lines for the largest genealogical organization in the world FamilySearch.  The other night I was working late answering phones and chats like I do every day.  Things can get pretty busy between school, social activities, and my volunteer service, so as the day winds down I can tell when it’s time to quit and take a break.  This was just such a time.  I had been answering question after question after question from one of our sweet patrons for over an hour.  It was getting late, I hadn’t eaten dinner, and despite my need for a break I was being both helpful and patient.  (When I am hungry, this is particularly difficult to do.)  Before I finished making my closing statements our chat ended without so much as a thank you.  With a little headache from my recent lack of sleep, I glared at my computer screen, took my headset off, and headed to the kitchen to start making dinner while I grumbled over my patron’s inadequate gratitude for my excellent and voluntary services.

It didn’t take long until I was suddenly struck by the reality of my own ingratitude; most especially towards my Heavenly Father.  My frustration quickly turned to embarrassment as I considered the remarkable similarities between me and my patron.  I tend to expect material comforts, physical wellness, spiritual strength, familial joys, political stability, educational opportunity, forgiveness, divine guidance, and the list goes on.  Typically I get it all and in abundance; I am lucky enough to be one of the most privileged people in the world.  Rarely, if ever, do I express an appropriate degree of gratitude for it. I know I am not alone.

In the Bible, Luke recounts the healing of the ten lepers. These ten desperate souls call out to Jesus to save them from their awful disease and He comes.  Surely all had faith to be healed as they followed his instruction, but nine out of ten failed to return and offer up their praise and gratitude to the Master.  I feel that ratio of ungrateful people is an accurate reflection on us, be we followers of Christ or not.  How often do we plead with the Lord for our wants and forget to give thanks for our blessings? (But how quick we are to turn against Him in anger!)

Because of His deep love for us Heavenly Father wants us to ask and seek for blessings, but He already knows our needs! I’m sure it must bring Him great joy to hear our humble, however inadequate, “thank you.”  We all have much to be thankful for! He has given each of us this beautiful earth and our wonderful bodies to experience mortal challenges and growth, and He has given each of us the gift of His perfect Son to help us on our way back home! I am sure that grateful hearts will better recognize His infinite love, and He will say as with the leper, “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole” (Luke 17:19).