SEPTEMBER 2, 2014
Not
Even A Nod
Read: Luke
17:11-19
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud
voice glorified God. —Luke
17:15
Traffic was bad and
everyone was cranky on that hot afternoon. I noticed a car with two young men
waiting to enter traffic from a fast-food restaurant driveway. I thought it was
nice when the driver ahead of me let them in.
But when the “nice”
driver ahead of me didn’t get a nod or even a thank you wave, he turned ugly.
First he rolled down his window and shouted at the driver he had let in. Then
he gunned his engine and raced forward as if to ram into his car, honking and
yelling as he continued to vent his anger.
Who was “more wrong”?
Did the young driver’s ingratitude justify the “nice” driver’s angry response?
Was he owed a thank you?
Certainly the 10
lepers Jesus healed owed gratitude to Him. How could only one return to say
thank you? I’m struck by Jesus’ response: “Were there not any found who
returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:18). If the King
of Kings can get only a 1 in 10 response of thanks, how can we expect more from
others? Better to do our deeds to honor God and serve others than to do them to
collect gratitude. May the grace of God be seen in us even when our kind acts
go unappreciated.
Lord, we like to be
recognized for the things we
do. Help us to
remember that we are not owed any
recognition or thanks
but that we owe You a lifetime
of gratitude for the
salvation You offer through Jesus.
Let your light so
shine before men, that they may . . . glorify your Father in heaven. —Matthew
5:16
Insight
As the 10 men in
today’s reading went away to follow Jesus’ instructions, “they were cleansed”
(v.14); that is, healed of their leprosy. Yet verse 19 says that only one man,
the Samaritan, glorified God for his healing and came back to say thank you.
Only he received Jesus’ word that his faith had made him well. The Greek word
for “made well” is used in reference to salvation. Jesus’ miraculous power made
the man well physically (v.14). But the Samaritan’s faith, demonstrated in
praise and gratitude, led to his spiritual healing (v.19). All 10 were
“cleansed,” but only one was “made well.”
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
