Gratitude Makes All the Difference

John 17: 11-19 (TPT) Jesus traveled on toward Jerusalem and passed through the border region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one village, ten men approached him, but they kept their distance, for they were lepers. They shouted to him, “Mighty Lord, our wonderful Master! Won’t you have mercy on us and heal us?” When Jesus stopped to look at them, he spoke these words: “Go to be examined by the Jewish priests.” They set off, and they were healed while walking along the way. One of them, a foreigner from Samaria, when he discovered that he was completely healed, turned back to find Jesus, shouting out joyous praises and glorifying God. When he found Jesus, he fell down at his feet and thanked him over and over, saying to him, “You are the Messiah.” This man was a Samaritan. “So where are the other nine?” Jesus asked. “Weren’t there ten who were healed? They all refused to return to give thanks and give glory to God except you, a foreigner from Samaria?” Then Jesus said to the healed man lying at his feet, “Arise and go. It was your faith that brought you salvation and healing.”

It seems terribly ungrateful that only one man out of ten would return to say “thank you” to Jesus for healing them of leprosy, especially since leprosy was terribly painful, caused disfiguration, and anyone suffering from it would be shunned by their communities. Not only were these men healed physically by Jesus that day, but their daily lives would also have improved greatly. All of these men should have been so grateful!

We may not need to be healed of leprosy, but as humans, we all deal with things that need a healing touch from Jesus. How often does Jesus work in our lives, making us well, protecting us, or blessing our families, and we forget to show gratitude? It happens more than we want to admit, most likely.

These verses do a great job of exposing the difference between simply being healed and being whole. All ten lepers were healed physically. But the one who returned to say thank you was also whole. Verse 19 says, “Arise and go. It was your faith that brought you salvation and healing.”

Gratitude was the only difference.

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Tori Shaw

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About the Author

Tori Shaw is the founder of Not Forgotten Ministries and author of "Lead with Love," "Free Indeed," and "I Had a Secret for Seventeen Years." She is a Jesus-lovin’ homeschool momma with four kiddos! Tori and Bryan were high school sweethearts and have been married for 17 years! God began this ministry 22 years ago when Tori and Bryan found out about an unplanned pregnancy, and she had an abortion at 16 years old. God has healed her, and she walks in freedom. She desires the same for others who have walked a similar journey.

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