LUKE 17:11-19 | A SIMPLE THANK YOU WILL DO

A SIMPLE THANK YOU WILL DO

LUKE 17:11-19

OCTOBER 9, 2016

RUDYARD KIPLING, THE AUTHOR OF SUCH GREAT WORKS AS GUNGA DIN, THE JUNGLE BOOK, AND THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN PAID 10 SHILLINGS FOR EVERY WORD HE WROTE DURING HIS HEYDAY.

SOME STUDENTS AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY, LESS IMPRESSED WITH HIS SUCCESS THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN, SENT KIPLING TEN SHILLINGS WITH THE REQUEST THAT HE SEND THEM “ONE OF YOUR VERY BEST WORDS.”

HE CABLED BACK: “THANKS.”

MANY YEARS LATER, ONE ITEM SENT FOR COPYRIGHT AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WAS A BOOK WRITTEN BY A WHIMSICAL TEXAS BUSINESSMAN, WHO INTENDED TO HAND OUT COPIES TO HIS CUSTOMERS AND FRIENDS.

ITS TITLE WAS A MILLION THANKS, AND IT CONSISTED OF THE WORD “THANKS” REPEATED ONE MILLION TIMES.

“NO THANKS,” REPLIED THE LIBRARY, DECLINING TO REGISTER IT BECAUSE A SINGLE WORD IS NOT COPYRIGHTABLE.

COPYRIGHTED OR NOT, AND MAYBE IT’S A GOOD THING THAT IT WASN’T OR WE’D ALL BE PAYING THAT TEXAS BUSINESSMAN TO USE IT, “THANKS” IS AN IMPORTANT WORD – AND WE OUGHT TO USE IT AS OFTEN AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE!

I DON’T KNOW ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE TO BE THANKED FOR SOMETHING THEY’VE SAID OR DONE.

OH, WE MAY “HUMBLE-PIE-IT” WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING TO THANK US, STICKING OUR TOE IN THE SAND, GLANCING DOWNWARD, SHEEPISHLY OFFERING UP “HOW IT WAS NOTHING,” BUT PEOPLE LIKE TO BE THANKED – AND WE SHOULD OBLIGE THEM…

WHENEVER, WHEREVER, HOWEVER, FOR WHATEVER, AS OFTEN AS WE CAN.

IT REALLY IS A “MAGIC WORD,” AND A VERY SIMPLE TO DO, COSTING US NOTHING IN THE PROCESS.  A SIMPLE “THANK YOU” WILL DO.

THIS IS WHY, IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING, JESUS SEEMS SO PERPLEXED AS TO WHY, AFTER TEN LEPERS HAVE BEEN HEALED, ONLY ONE OF THEM RETURNS TO THANK GOD FOR HIS HEALING.

AND THAT ONE, AS OUR STORY POINTS OUT, WAS THE FOREIGNER; THE ALIEN; THE SAMARITAN; THE ONE WHO WAS DESPISED BY THE JEWS;

JUST LIKE THE SAMARITAN IN THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN, WHERE HE ALONE STOPS TO HELP OUT THE MAN IN TROUBLE, AND BY SO DOING, GIVES JESUS THE DEFINITION OF WHO IS A TRUE NEIGHBOR.

IT IS THE SAMARITAN LEPER WHO TURNS BACK, PRAISING AND THANKING GOD FOR HIS HEALING, WHILE THE OTHER NINE GO MERRILY ON THEIR WAY, SEEMINGLY WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT AS TO FROM WHERE THEIR HEALING CAME;

AND WITHOUT A THOUGHT OF TO WHOM, OR HOW, THEY MIGHT SAY A SIMPLE THANK YOU.

COLONIAL MERCHANT (I’M GOING BACK TO MY HISTORY BOOKS THIS MORNING) TIMOTHY DEXTER ONCE WROTE:

“AN UNGRATEFUL MAN IS LIKE A HOG UNDER A TREE EATING ACORNS BUT NEVER LOOKING UP TO SEE WHERE THEY COME FROM.”

IN A SENSE, THIS WAS JESUS’ QUESTION ABOUT THE NINE HEALED LEPERS WHO FAILED TO RETURN TO SAY A WORD OF THANKS TO GOD.

“THEN ONE OF THEM, WHEN HE SAW 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.”

NOTICE, IF YOU WILL, JESUS ISN’T PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN ANY OF THEM RETURNING TO THANK HIM – BUT RATHER, HE SAYS, “WAS NONE OF THEM FOUND TO RETURN AND GIVE PRAISE TO GOD…?”

I’D LIKE US TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT.

HOW OFTEN, PERHAPS, HAVE WE BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF SOME GREAT BLESSING; SOME ANSWERED PRAYER; SOME GOOD FORTUNE;

AND HAVING RECEIVED IT, GONE MERRILY ON OUR WAY, WITHOUT STOPPING TO TURN, AND RETURN THANKS TO GOD?

IT’S ONE THING TO PRAY FOR OURSELVES, FOR OTHERS, FOR THINGS WE WANT OR NEED, OR THAT OTHERS WANT OR NEED, BUT IT’S ANOTHER TO REMEMBER AFTER THE FACT, TO SAY “THANK YOU.”

IT COSTS US NOTHING; IT IS A MAGIC WORD; AND IT IS THE SIMPLEST OF THINGS TO DO; “THANK YOU.”

I THINK EVEN GOD APPRECIATES A GOOD “THANKS” NOW AND THEN.

SOMETHING ELSE FOR US TO REMEMBER: EVEN IF WE DON’T GET EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS FOR WHICH WE WERE PRAYING: REMEMBER, GOD’S ANSWERS ARE WISER THAN OUR PRAYERS.

BUT LIKE SO MANY COMMON COURTESIES, SO MANY THINGS WE DO, SO MANY SIMPLE MANNERS, IT’S NOT JUST FOR THE RECIPIENT THAT WE DO THEM, WE DO THEM FOR OURSELVES AS WELL.

THEY MAKE US BETTER PEOPLE.  THEY MAKE US DECENT HUMAN BEINGS.  THEY MAKE US MORE APPRECIATIVE OF OUR LIVES, OF WHAT OTHERS DO FOR US, OF WHAT GOD DOES FOR US.

IT IS OUR OWN HEARTS, MINDS, AND SOULS WHICH BENEFIT WHEN WE PRACTICE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE; WHEN WE OFFER “PRAISES AND THANKSGIVINGS.”

WE FEEL BETTER ABOUT LIFE.  WE FEEL BETTER ABOUT OTHERS.  WE FEEL BETTER ABOUT OURSELVES.

SAYING “PLEASE” AND “THANK YOU.”  HOLDING A DOOR FOR SOMEONE.  LETTING SOMEONE INTO TRAFFIC.  WAVING IN APPRECIATION WHEN THEY DO THE SAME FOR US.

THESE SIMPLE, COMMON COURTESIES, MAKE LIFE BETTER.  PLAIN AND SIMPLE.  AND THEY ARE EASY TO DO; COST US NOTHING; AND MEAN EVERYTHING.

I DOUBT THAT JESUS’ EXPECTATION OF ALL TEN OF THE LEPERS RETURNING TO THANK GOD FOR THEIR HEALING WAS AS MUCH ABOUT GOD NEEDING TO HEAR IT, AS IT WAS JESUS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE LEPERS WERE IN NEED OF SAYING IT;

AND SO ARE WE.  IT SHAPES WHO WE ARE.  IT MAKES US – US.  IT CREATES IN US A SPIRIT AND AN ATTITUDE OF APPRECIATION, OF PRAISE, OF THANKFULNESS; AND THAT DOES A BODY (AND A SOUL) GOOD.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT BECOMES SECOND NATURE.  WITH A THANKFUL ATTITUDE, AND A HEART FILLED WITH PRAISE, WE CAN EVEN FIND A WAY TO BE THANKFUL IN THE WORST OF TIMES.

MARTIN RINKERT WAS A MINISTER IN THE LITTLE TOWN OF EILENBURG, GERMANY SOME 350 YEARS AGO.

HE WAS THE SON OF A POOR COPPERSMITH, BUT SOMEHOW, HE MANAGED TO WORK HIS WAY THROUGH AN EDUCATION.  FINALLY, IN THE YEAR 1617, HE WAS OFFERED THE POST OF ARCHDEACON IN HIS HOMETOWN PARISH.

A YEAR LATER, WHAT HAS COME TO BE KNOWN AS THE THIRTY-YEARS-WAR BROKE OUT.  HIS TOWN WAS CAUGHT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

IN 1637, A MASSIVE PLAGUE THAT SWEPT ACROSS THE CONTINENT HIT EILENBURG… PEOPLE DIED AT THE RATE OF FIFTY A DAY AND THE MAN CALLED UPON TO BURY MOST OF THEM WAS MARTIN RINKERT.

IN ALL, OVER 8,000 PEOPLE DIED, INCLUDING MARTIN’S OWN WIFE.

HIS LABORS FINALLY CAME TO AN END ABOUT 11 YEARS LATER, JUST ONE YEAR AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR.  HIS MINISTRY SPANNED 32 YEARS, ALL BUT THE FIRST AND THE LAST OVERWHELMED BY THE GREAT CONFLICT THAT ENGULFED HIS TOWN.

TOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH TO BE THANKFUL.  BUT HE MANAGED.  AND HE WROTE THESE WORDS:

NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD

WITH HEART AND HANDS AND VOICES;

WHO WONDROUS THINGS HATH DONE,

IN WHOM HIS WORLD REJOICES.

IT TAKES A MAGNIFICENT SPIRIT TO COME THROUGH SUCH HARDSHIP AND EXPRESS GRATITUDE.

HERE’S A GREAT LESSON.  SURROUNDED BY TREMENDOUS ADVERSITY, THANKSGIVING WILL DELIVER US… WITH HEART AND HAND AND VOICES.

THAT’S THE SORT OF INNATE JOY, THE UNBRIDLED PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING THAT OUGHT TO BE A PART OF OUR LIFE; OUGHT TO BE WHO WE ARE.

YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT IT WASN’T THAT THE NINE LEPERS WEREN’T GRATEFUL FOR THEIR HEALING; MAYBE THEY STILL FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO FOLLOW JESUS’ INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT SHOWING THEMSELVES TO THE PRIEST.

THAT WAS THE STANDARD PRACTICE WHEN A HEALING OCCURRED; TO AUTHENTICATE THE HEALING, ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF LEPROSY, WHICH KEPT THOSE WHO HAD IT FROM ASSOCIATING WITH ANYONE, EVEN THEIR FAMILY.

ONLY ONCE THEY WERE COMPLETELY HEALED AND IT WAS VERIFIED BY THE PRIEST, COULD THEY BE RESTORED TO SOCIETY, AND BE ALLOWED TO COME CLOSE TO PEOPLE AGAIN.

SO MAYBE THE NINE WERE JUST DOING WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TOLD; DOING WHAT WAS EXPEDITIOUS TO THEIR HEALING.

BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE ONE WHO DID RETURN, THE SAMARITAN, THAT EVEN BEFORE HIS HEALING, SOMETHING THAT HAD MADE HIM THE KIND OF PERSON WHO WAS THANKFUL FOR HIS BLESSINGS;

SOMEBODY WHO HAD A HABIT OF PRAISING GOD; AND WHO, MAYBE, AS A DOUBLE-OUTSIDER – A SAMARITAN AND A LEPER – REALIZED WHAT A HUGE BLESSING IT WAS FOR HIM TO BE HEALED AND ALLOWED BACK INTO SOCIETY.

THE FACT IS, WE TEND TO BE MORE THANKFUL WHEN WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT, DONE WITHOUT, HAD HARDSHIP AND DIFFICULTIES IN OUR LIVES;

THAN WHEN EVERYTHING HAS ALWAYS GONE OUR WAY; WHEN WE’VE NEVER GONE WITHOUT; AND EVERYTHING HAS ALWAYS BEEN HANDED TO US ON A SILVER PLATTER.

THE LOWS OF LIFE, MAKE THE HIGHS OF LIFE, THAT MUCH HIGHER!

NONETHELESS, THERE IS NO REASON, NO REASON AT ALL, FOR US TO NOT BE THANKFUL FOR THE GOOD THAT COMES INTO OUR LIVES (AND EVEN THE BAD, AT TIMES, IF IT HELPS US TO BE MORE APPRECIATIVE OF HOW MUCH WE DO HAVE.)

“GRATITUDE” IS FROM THE SAME ROOT WORD AS “GRACE” WHICH SIGNIFIES THE FREE AND BOUNDLESS MERCY OF GOD.

“THANKS” IS FROM THE SAME ROOT WORD AS “THINK” SO THAT TO THINK IS TO THANK, AND IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER TO DO BOTH.

THE GOOD NEWS IS – WE ARE NEVER WITHOUT OPPORTUNITY TO DO BOTH, AND SINCE WE ARE FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON THE “THANKING” PART THIS MORNING, I LEAVE YOU THINKING ABOUT THIS:

LIKING SOMEONE’S FACEBOOK POST IS A FORM OF THANKS.

IN AN EPISODE OF M*A*S*H YEARS AGO, HAWKEYE FALLS IN LOVE WITH A SOUTH KOREAN WOMAN, AND WHEN TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY, HE TELLS HER HE LOVES HER BECAUSE OF THE WAY SHE PATS THE CHICKENS, AND THANKS THEM, WHEN TAKING THEIR EGGS.

WHEN KAREN PRAYS GRACE OVER OUR MEALS – SHE OFTEN GIVES THANKS FOR THE ANIMALS WHO GAVE UP THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FOOD – IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HER.

HARRY TRUMAN, IN THE LATER YEARS OF HIS PRESIDENCY WOULD OFTEN TAKE LONG WALKS, SOMETIMES WITH A MINISTER FRIEND OF HIS; ALONG THE WAY THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL GUMBO TREE, TO WHICH TRUMAN WOULD OFTEN STEP UP AND SPEAK QUIETLY, PRIVATELY.

AFTER TRUMAN DIED, SOMEONE ASKED THE PASTOR WHAT TRUMAN WOULD SAY TO THE TREE.  HE’D SAY: “’THANK YOU, YOU’RE DOING A GOOD JOB.’  IT WAS HIS WAY OF THANKING CREATION ITSELF.”

EVERY DOOR THAT IS HELD OPEN, EVERY TIME SOMEONE LETS YOU INTO TRAFFIC, EVERY TIME A WAITER OR WAITRESS REFILLS YOUR WATER GLASS, IS A CHANCE TO SAY “THANKS.”

EVERY GIFT RECEIVED, EVERY KIND WORD OFFERED, EVERY THOUGHTFUL REMEMBRANCE, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR “THANK YOU.”

EVERY SERVICE OFFERED, EVERY VOLUNTEER GIVING OF THEIR TIME, TALENTS, AND ENERGY;

EVERY REPAIRMAN WHO SHOWS UP ON TIME, AND FIXES WHAT THEY’RE THERE TO FIX, EVERY SUNRISE AND EVERY SUNSET, EVERY NIGHTTIME PRAYER – A CHANCE TO SAY “THANKS.”

EVERY LISTENING EAR, EVERY COMFORTING HUG, EVERY CARING WORD, EVERY FRIENDSHIP…

EVERY ACT OF KINDNESS, EVERY EFFORT TO PITCH IN AND HELP;

EVERY BABY BORN, EVERY LIFE LIVED, EVERY DEATH DIED IN PEACE – A CAUSE FOR THANKSGIVING.

EVERY EVERYTHING, WELL ALMOST EVERYTHING – IS WORTHY OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING; NOT ONLY TO THE “GIVER,” BUT TO GOD WHO GAVE US THE GIVER.

NEXT TIME WE’RE ROOTING AROUND FOR “ACORNS,” FOR THE BLESSINGS OF LIFE, LET’S BE SURE TO LOOK UP, AND SEE FROM WHERE THEY’VE COME.