Gratitude

So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

Luke 17: 17-18

Michael Zigarelli has researched and written extensively about developing Christian character. In an article entitled “Gratitude: Pathway to Permanent Change”, Zigarelli provides the following perspective:

“Of all the possible explanations for why some Christians look more like Jesus than others, one explanation, one characteristic clearly stood out above the rest: gratitude…Centuries ago, the philosopher Cicero argued that among virtues, gratitude is ‘the parent of all the others,’ a virtue that begets other virtues. Want more inner peace? Work on gratitude. Want more patience? Work on gratitude. Want to be more compassionate? You get the idea.”

When I read about how Jesus healed ten lepers as recorded in Luke 17, I notice a number of messages about the importance of gratitude. Luke’s account of the miracle makes a distinction between the Samaritan (a foreigner) who returned to give thanks to Jesus and the nine who did not. It’s a surprising end to a beautiful story of compassion and healing.

The question that Jesus asked is troubling. Jesus asked, “Where are the nine?” If I listen carefully to Jesus I can hear him ask me, “Where are you?” “Hey Paul, are you grateful 10 percent of the time? Do you possess an overwhelming attitude of thankfulness 10 percent of the time? It’s easy to chastise the nine lepers for their negligence until I look in the mirror.

Perhaps my description is a little too dramatic. After all, do I really need to have an “overwhelming attitude of gratitude”?  According to Luke 17, the Samaritan leper who was healed “returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.” His actions portray a mixture of humility, unbridled joy and thanksgiving. I can only speak for myself. Jesus deserves this and so much more from me.