What do you say?

Luke 17:11-19
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance,
they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

Have you ever been disappointed by somebody's lack of gratitude? Have you ever wondered whether a gift was appreciated (or even received) because you never received a word or a note of thanks? Somehow the process seems incomplete...doesn't it? It is like a dissonant note hanging at the end of a melody when those words, "Thank you" don't appear after you do something for or give something to another.

Most likely you were taught as a young child that people "should" say "thank you" in response to a kindness. I can remember the litany after the opening of Christmas or Birthday presents. There was always somebody in the room who prompted the child who "forgot" to express gratitude...."What do you say?"

There are days when circumstances are either burdensome or worrisome. Things happen or fail to happen....and our attention is drawn to what we don't have...our deficits. On those days it literally is a discipline to focus upon a sense of gratitude...but it is a discipline that has great value, because it transforms the condition of our heart and our mind....and that transformation enables us to view all things from a different perspective.

At the recent ecumenical Thanksgiving Service, the pastor read Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation .
Notice that the speech was delivered in October, 1863. The Civil War, ending in 1865, was far from over. Yet the leader of the nation stepped out to say to all..."We are a grateful nation...and we have much for which we give thanks."

As 2008 is ending, we are facing challenges of all sorts...the war continues...the economy vacillates...many of us have had dramatic downturns in our household income. But the Lord continues to provide -- take time to practice the attitude of gratitude.

May your household be transformed these days by the vision and the attitude that will move your hearts and minds to understand the fullness bestowed each day through faith.

What do you say?