Jesus story in Luke 17 about the 10 lepers may be an excellent example of hyperbole or an unfortunate description of reality. Of the lepers cleansed, only one came back to thank the one who healed them.
Does this reflect reality? 90% of us are ungrateful? Was the percentage the point? Should we stretch this to all people, or does this refer only to those 10 individuals? While all of these questions have merit, I don't know that the exact answer to any of them is the real point.
Nine of them did not consider "showing gratitude" was a good enough reason to go back. Perhaps they were too busy celebrating with the priests, returning to their families, paralyzed by their new complexion, signing up for those college courses they were not allowed to take before, shaking hands with everyone they met, or going for a massage. They did not return is the seminal truth.
How often have we demonstrated an attitude of ingratitude by not thanking the ones that we owe so much? When your Father has blessed you, how often have you enjoyed the blessing and failed to thank the blesser? In this case, I think we are too often in the wrong when we stand with the majority. Like so many others, I spend much of my time enjoying my blessings rather than demonstrating gratitude for them.
Next time you are blessed, show your gratitude and then enjoy the blessing.
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