“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan” (Luke 17:15-16).
Of all the compassionate principles set forth for us to follow in the New Testament, being thankful is among the most prominent. The setting for this occasion is when Jesus heals ten lepers by telling them to present themselves to the priest.
It was only this one leper who has come back to Jesus to express his deeply felt gratitude for this unimaginable gift—and he was a Samaritan, considered a second-class person in those days.
“Ingratitude”—that is, failing to appreciate our blessings or what someone has done for us—is a sin. This man’s blessing is only physical: our blessing is spiritual, meaning we should be even more grateful than he was.
Because of the supreme sacrifice Jesus made for us, we have the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven, an unspeakable gift. Our gratitude should overwhelm us and inspire us to be everything He wants us to be—to commit our lives to Him and to His Cause.
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