Giving with thanks

Luke 17:11 - 19

Saying thank you is something that we need to learn from a young age, it doens't come naturally, and we need to practice it repeatedly for it to become an ingrained habit.  But all too often, we find that people don't take time to say thank you.  One of the reasons I think this is the case is that they believe they have a right or entitlement to something, and therefore that avoids the need to be grateful.  Is one of the reasons why the nine lepers didn't return, because they believed they had a right to health?  The tenth leper though was different.  He returned to give thanks.  But he just didn't give thanks, his relationship with Jesus changed.  Prior to his healing he stood at a distance, after his healing he lay at Jesus' feet.  The leper who had been an outcast from society and God, is now brought near into intimate, close relationship.

The Samaritan leper turned back from going his own way, from self-justification, from the protection of distance, and lay at Jesus' feet.  And there he proclaimed his ultimate dependence on God.  In the end, gratitude is an expression of our need for others, of our need for God.

When we have an attitude of gratitude we will recognise that we are connected to God and each other.  This is expressed through our willingness to give thanks and through our giving of our offerings.