With the words of this title Jesus taught us about appreciation. He healed 10 men from an incurable, terminal disease. He took away their leprosy. “Go show yourselves to the priest,” He commanded them. As they went, they were healed. Of the 10 men who were healed, only one returned to tell Jesus “thank you.”
Now we come to those words, “Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’” (Luke 17:17-18).
No answers were ever given. None were really expected. If this had happened today in our age of aggressive journalism, we would know at least some of the answers to that question. It might be interesting to hear some of the possible excuses they would have given. Maybe they would have said:
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“I wanted to wait and see if the cure was real.”
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“I wanted to see if it would last. It might come back tomorrow.”
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“I thought that I would probably see Jesus later. I’ll thank him when it is convenient.”
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“I’m not sure that I really ever had leprosy. Maybe it just looked like leprosy.”
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“I might have gotten well anyway. Who knows?”
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“I thanked the priest. They were wonderful.”
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“One said, ‘Oh, well, Jesus really didn’t do anything.’”
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“One said, ‘Any rabbi could have done it.’”
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“One said, ‘I was already getting better anyway.’”
All of these excuses sound real to me. In fact, I could add some that I have used. “I forgot. I was going to but you asked me before I got around to it. Don’t you remember that I already thanked you?”
Thanklessness is seldom acknowledged and usually justified by the thankless one. Remember Jesus was disappointed with the nine. Those to whom you owe a word of thanks may be gracious, but still disappointed. Take a moment to thank someone.
Lonnie Davis
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