Miracles HappenSample

Jesus Heals the Ten Lepers – The Miracle of Gratitude

What’s one of the first things you were taught as a child?

I’d hazard a guess that it included saying ‘please and thank you’.

Manners are not just something nice to teach our children, I believe that they cultivate a heart of respect and gratitude.

By extension, I believe that a heart of gratitude positions us differently in how we experience both the miraculous and life itself.

It is this very point that stands out to me in the account of the cleansing of the ten lepers in Luke chapter 17:11-19. Let me explain...

The ten men suffering from leprosy have begged Jesus to have mercy on them as He passes by. Upon their request for mercy, Jesus commands each of the men with leprosy to go and show themselves to the priests, and – in faith – they all go.

The miracle happened in the moving because, as all ten men went to show themselves to the priest, they were healed of their leprosy!

Now, if you jump back to and read Leviticus chapter 14:1-20, you will read the protocol for someone who has leprosy and how they are to be deemed clean.

Being unclean with leprosy meant that the men would have lived outside of the community, potentially estranged from family members and loved ones.

Now that they have been deemed clean, they (after the cleansing rituals and offerings) would be allowed to re-enter the community.

I share all of this to illustrate just how impacting suffering with leprosy was.

Aside from the physical symptoms (numbness, weakness, joint pain, skin sores, and eye damage, to name a few), there were also the emotional scars of isolation – not receiving any kind of touch, human contact, or physical affection. Then there was the spiritual torment of being classed as cursed by God.

To be released from this suffering was utterly life-changing.

However, the next part of the story is somewhat disheartening.

But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

(Luke 17:15-19 CSB, emphasis added)

Only one of the men carrying the disease came back to thank God.

Isn’t that amazing?

After enduring all of the suffering that they had, nine men decided not to come back and give thanks for the breakthrough they had received.

The reason I labour the point of gratitude in the miracle is because I believe we can so often receive miraculous healing from God but forget to return and give thanks. We are so elated with our new status and freedom that we neglect to turn back – even for a moment – to acknowledge the Source.

Friends, at this time of year especially, may we never become so entitled or forgetful in experiencing the miraculous – even the seemingly small day-to-day miracles – that we forget the Person behind it all.

He is worthy of all our praise this Christmas.