The One Who Came Back
“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.”
— Luke 17:15-16 (NIV)
Ten men with a skin disease stood at a distance and shouted for mercy. Jesus told them to show themselves to the priests, the legal step for being declared clean. The healing came on the road, to all ten. Nine kept walking toward their new lives. One turned around. He was a Samaritan, the outsider, and he was the only one who said thank you.
Something good happened this month and you are already on to the next problem. The nine were not villains, they were simply in a hurry. Turning around costs one minute. Say the thank you out loud before July closes.
Turn Around
- 1Name one good thing from July you never thanked God for. Say it out loud now.
- 2Call the person who helped make it happen and thank them directly.
- 3Write the date and the thing on paper. Keep it where you will see it in August.
Jesus, something good happened this month and I never said thank You. Saying it now.
I will say thank you for one thing before the month ends.
Why does it matter that he was a Samaritan?
Samaritans were outsiders to Jewish worship. The one least expected to give thanks was the only one who did.
Were the other nine punished?
No. They kept their healing. They only missed the moment where gratitude turns a cure into a relationship.
What if I am thankful but never say it?
Unspoken thanks fades fast. Said out loud, to God or to a person, it stays.