Gratitude Attitude

“He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan.” (Luke 17:16 NIV)

Ten men disfigured and devastated by a disease called leprosy waited on a border road between Samaria and Galilee, cowbells hung around their necks so they could give warning. An advantageous place on the road leading to a small village provided at least some opportunity for them to hope for some kind of alms from passersby.

On one eventful day Jesus and His disciples passed the lepers’ way. His reputation preceded Him, and their chorus rang out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” He did. And He did with just a few words, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” Showing oneself to the priest was a requirement of the law for someone healed of leprosy or other infectious skin disorders. If the priest saw skin devoid of disease, he would pronounce the individual “clean,” and he or she could then return to their home. The ten were cleansed of leprosy as they went.

One of the ten, noting that he was now free from his leprosy and his cow bell, returned to where Jesus was, praising God loudly, threw himself on the ground at the feet of Jesus, and thanked Him. Jesus noted that of the ten only this Samaritan, supposedly the least likely to do so, returned to say thank you.

It is difficult to know exactly what prompted this Samaritan to do what he did, but it is apparent that, instilled in him was something of a gratitude attitude. Was it something his parents had taught him when he was a boy? Was it an attitude he developed through his life-experiences? We cannot know for sure, but it was certainly there. Had it not been, he would have stayed with the other nine.
One of the most difficult tasks at times, and, yet, one of the most rewarding, is to develop a gratitude attitude. It is sometimes easier to grumble or complain or talk about “fairness.” It takes a great deal of effort, discipline, and training to develop a gratitude attitude with any life-experience that comes your way, whether positive or negative.

A gratitude attitude is one that looks for the positive, builds on experience, looks toward hope, re-visits the positive past on occasion, and learns as it goes. It is easier said than done, but once done, it is the sort of thing the Lord takes note of.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to know what became of this Samaritan former-leper in the years that followed? I wonder if he ever made a trip to Jericho….

Lord, We commit to building a gratitude attitude. Give us the strength and the determination to reach that goal. Thank You in advance. Amen.