What Christian Gratitude Will Do For You?
What Christian gratitude will do for you?
Luke 17:11-19
President Donald Trump was able to get three UCLA basketball players out of trouble in China. They were guilty of shoplifting and had been in custody for the crime but the president went out of his way to help them get home. The tragedy is their gratitude was reluctant at best when they got back. They sure didn’t want to be recognized as Trump supporters. Many Christians are just like that, they take what they can get from Jesus but don’t want to stand out too much for his sake.
In this story there were ten lepers who cried out for Jesus to have mercy on them. These people knew what kind of physical condition they were in. They knew they were dying a horrible death of decay and disfigurement. Their crowd was each other because the disease was contagious as well as repelling to look at. Jesus was able and willing to show them mercy so he sends them away to test them. As they go to the priest they are healed. Only one comes back and shows gratitude! Here is where we learn what gratitude does:
- Gratitude brings us back to Jesus with humility. Those who don’t have humility about how they were delivered are not grateful to Jesus. They may come back to the crowd but not to Christ! God resisteth the proud– 1 Peter 5:5. Humble gratitude identifies us as Christians. Have you been back to Jesus since you have been saved? Have you been back to church, back to the Bible, or back to prayer since you have been saved? Have you been back since God answered your prayer and gave you a blessing or are you behaving like the nine ingrates that did not come back after they were healed?
- Gratitude separates us from the ingrates. It is wonderful that this man did not let the nine determine his attitude! He did not change them but they didn’t change him either. The thankful man is always distinguishable as he has the best attitude! It is hard not to have a good attitude in the presence of Jesus. The fact is we are to be thankful when we come into his presence. Psalms 100
- Gratitude glorifies God! You can’t glorify God with an ungrateful attitude but gratitude can allow anyone no matter how much they have or know, to glorify God. Jesus said, “…where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” It is possible that the other nine were Jews and maybe they felt they were entitled. The feeling of entitlement will certainly prepare you to be an ingrate when things don’t go your way and sometimes even when they do. When God is glorified you are satisfied! It is our purpose to give God glory while we are here those who don’t will always struggle with emptiness inside.
- Gratitude allows you to learn more and get more. Jesus told the grateful man that his faith made him whole. He would not leave with some false assurance that he did something to earn his healing. He would know that good things from God come by faith.
Jesus was concerned about the nine others who were healed. As he is about every ungrateful Christian yet there is still time to show him thanks! The most grateful people on the planet regardless of your material possessions ought to be those who have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb!
