Thanks and The Lack Thereof

Have you ever done something for somebody and did not get the thanks you thought you would get? Perhaps you purchased a special Christmas gift for your child, and when they opened it, the look on their face told you they were not thrilled with it. Or perhaps you gave a nice dinner party and spent a lot of time on a dessert and nobody commented on how good it was. No doubt, you were disappointed.

Today’s reading is of a similar story from Luke17:11-19. Jesus heals ten lepers. Nine were Jews from the Kingdom of Judah, the home of Jesus, and one was from the land of Samaria.

Samaria was once part of the defunct northern Kingdom of Israel. 750 years earlier, the Assyrian King Shalmaneser defeated the apostate kingdom and relocated tens of thousands of Israelites to places east. The Assyrians also relocated other people in their empire to the land they just conquered.

Through intermarriage, the Samaritans became a mixture of many races, including the once mighty (and once faithful) Israelites. The Jews and the Samaritans hated each other.

Imagine you had just been healed of leprosy. You no doubt would be overjoyed and very thankful. Perhaps the nine Jews were. Perhaps the miracle made them speechless.  Perhaps being society’s outcasts made them forget their manners. At any rate, they did not give thanks! Imagine the disappointment Jesus may have felt.

On the other hand the Samaritan behaved in the opposite way. “He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.” Jesus was very pleased with this man’s faith!

Today is Thanksgiving. Our annual ritual of overeating and watching football is a celebration of the good things we have.

As we enjoy the company of family and friends, let’s remember to give thanks for everything God has done for us. Our food, clothes, home and family are gifts from him. But the best gift is that of Jesus who provides us with eternal life.

May you have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!