Why Give Thanks

Text: Luke 17:11-19

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

          Why is it that some children have such a hard time grasping, and then remembering, what we’re taught at such a young age about giving thanks? One of the first things we were taught, and which we teach our kids, is to express their gratitude. Someone gives them a gift, or even just a piece of candy, and we say, “Now what do you say?” And the child learns from an early age the answer. “Thank you!” We teach it because we know it’s the right thing to do. We know that the giver appreciates being thanked. And we also do it because it promotes an environment of gratefulness that reflects the fact that we understand the value of the gift we’ve been given. And our Gospel lesson for today helps us to understand that

WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

          It’s such a simple account, but it’s also packed with such profound truth. So, let’s unpack it here and then we’ll explore why it is that we should give thanks at all times and in all circumstances. Luke begins by telling us that “As [Jesus] entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’” In those two verses we can see the gravity of their situation. Leprosy wasn’t a temporary malady that they’d get over. It was a death sentence. And worse than that, it caused people to be ostracized from the community. So, when Jesus said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests” and that “as they went they were cleansed” they would have immediately realized that their death sentence was reversed, and their lives would be permanently changed. But what should have happened at this miraculous healing didn’t happen. All ten didn’t turn around immediately praising Jesus, their Master, as they’d previously called Him. All but one went on their way. I’m sure happy they’d been made clean, but oblivious to the need to thank the one who had given them such a gift.

Which begs the question of our world and so many around us who fail to give thanks. Even ourselves, if we’re being perfectly honest. We have all been made clean from the sickness of sin and been given a reprieve from our eternal death sentence. And yet, how many simply go about their lives, either oblivious to the healing they’ve received, or callously ignoring the Giver of such an incredible gift?

We can relate to those lepers of Jesus’ day as we constantly need to say the words they said as we approach our Lord. “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” It’s the refrain of the Kyrie that we sing in worship, but it should be our daily refrain. Because not a day, not an hour goes by that we’re not in need of the mercy that God so freely gives. And not a day, not an hour should go by that we don’t figuratively, if not literally, “turn back, praising God with a loud voice; and fall on our faces at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks.” This is our act of thanks and praise, of true worship of the One who has set us free from the future that our sinful ways have earned us. Giving thanks, recognizing the Giver of eternal life, and having faith in Christ who makes that possible for us, is the only proper way for us to respond to God’s good and gracious gift.

I heard a story once about a man who walked into a diner. He was feeling down because things just weren’t going well in his life and there was very little joy in anything he did anymore. As he walked into the diner everyone else looked exactly like he felt. Heads were down and no one was talking to each other. One particularly miserable man was hunched over at the counter, stirring his coffee with a spoon, looking particularly depressed. In one of the small booths along the window was a young mother with a little girl. They’d just been served their food when the girl broke the silence by almost shouting, “Mommy, why don’t we say our prayers here?” The waitress who had just served their breakfast turned around and said, “Sure, honey, we pray here. Will you say the prayer for us?” And she turned and looked at the rest of the people in the restaurant and said, “Bow your heads.” Surprisingly, one by one, the heads went down. The little girl then bowed her head, folded her hands, and said, “God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food. Amen.”

That prayer changed the entire atmosphere. People began to talk with one another and the waitress said, “We should do that every morning.” The man who had walked into the diner said about that experience that in that moment his whole frame of mind started to improve. From that little girl’s example, he started to thank God for all that he did have and stopped focusing on all that he didn’t have. He started to be grateful.

Why give thanks? The leper who had been cleansed knew that it was the right thing to do. And so it is with us as well. We’ve been given far more than just the cure to a bodily infirmity. We’ve been given the cure to sin. We’ve been given salvation, won for us on the cross by Jesus Christ. Thanking the giver of such a generous, life altering, and precious gift is simply the right thing to do.

Why give thanks? Here’s a second reason. Jesus was fully expecting that all 10 lepers would return to give thanks. Whether the gift giver asks for thanks or not, they appreciate it when it’s given. Jesus even points out the lack of appreciation of the other nine. “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” God desires such a relationship with each of us. One where we would recognize the good gifts He gives, and express thanks for all the things that we simply can’t do on our own, but are given freely out of His good and gracious will. Giving thanks is maintaining the right and proper relationship with God. One where we acknowledge His role as the giver of all things and where we, as the receiver, give thanks through our worship and praise.

Why give thanks? There’s plenty more reasons, but I’ll give you this final one. Have you ever noticed how one person giving thanks sparks that same reaction in others. I see it happen all the time. Think about this because I bet you’ve been there. A group goes out to eat at the invitation of someone. Maybe it’s grandma and grandpa taking the family out to eat and they’ve mentioned that they’re paying for dinner. Everyone has a great time. The check comes and no one notices because it’s being taken care of discreetly. And then as everyone gets up from the table, one person remembers that the dinner was a gift and says thank you to the givers of that gift. What happens then? Everyone else has to join in. “Oh yeah, thanks grandpa. Thanks for dinner. It was great grandpa, thanks.” Perhaps those secondary thank yous are a bit of pressure after hearing the first one, but they’re good to hear nonetheless. It happens at our dinner table all the time. “Thanks for dinner mom.” And then everyone else joins in, wishing that they’d thought to say it first. But what that gratefulness does is foster an environment of gratitude by everyone around who sees a single person giving thanks. It works great in a family where the older kids have a genuine gratefulness and the younger ones see that model and follow it. But it also works great in community, where people are truly thankful for the things they have and are given and then others see that and know that it’s the proper attitude to have. And it creates a community of much greater joy that recognizes all we’ve been given.

I wonder if that one thankful leper ran into the other nine later on in the day. As he rose and went his way because as Jesus said, “your faith has made you well.” I wonder if he ran into them and told the story of his interaction with Jesus. “Just so you know guys…Jesus was wondering where you were. And you know…when I went back and said thanks, He gave me a blessing even greater than this cure we all got.” I wonder if he did. And if he did, I wonder if any of the others went off searching for that greater blessing. If the human nature we know that we all possess today is any indication, I imagine they didn’t. But it should be a thought for each of us who has ever failed to give thanks for anything that God has given us. There’s always time. Even if someone had to remind you to do it. Be thankful. Because it’s the right thing to do. Because God loves to hear your thanks and praise. And because it’s contagious. Many more will see and know where their good gifts come from and return in thanks when they’re part of a community that gives thanks. Let’s be those people and let’s be that community. That recognizes all of God’s gifts. And always gifts thanks to our gracious provider.

And let us be those who have received the gift of life and give thanks for it and then go out and tell others about the gift we’ve received. Because wouldn’t it be great if even just one more person heard and believed, and received that greater blessing that God so freely gives to those who have faith in Him. May your lives of thankfulness be evident to those around you. And may God use you so that others might know of His great love that sets us free. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.