By: Obed Pineda
World renown English playwright and poet William Shakespeare wrote, “Blow, blow, thou winter wind, thou art not so unkind as man’s ingratitude” (As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII). In the play, Lord Amiens laments about a friend who had quickly forgotten the kindness he had shown him in the past. The comparison of a man’s ingratitude with a winter wind’s bitter bite illustrates the profound sorrow and ache this attitude can cause upon a person’s soul. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that the same is true for the omnibenevolent God when His creation possesses a heart of ungratefulness (cf. Deuteronomy 32:1-18). Let us recall that the key word for Moses’ fifth book is remember as a caution to the second generation of Israelites who had been delivered from Egyptian bondage to “not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God…they did not keep the covenant of God; they refused to walk in His law, and forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them” (Psalm 78:8, 10-11). Both inspired amanuenses reveal that thanklessness is the fruit of having a short memory. Additionally, it also illumines the selfish and entitled behavior of a person that soon forgets the gracious charity that was extended to them (cf. Ezekiel 16:1-34). For this reason, it is just to keep firmly in mind that “you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). One must never lose sight from the abyss of despair we were rescued from because keeping this fact focused in our mind’s eye should make us bow before the Almighty “giving thanks to the Father Who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:12-14). It is vital to understand that the purpose for remembering what our previous condition was is to spring forth in us a joyous heart, full of gratitude to God for His loving kindness that He gifts us. Its purpose is to humble us before God, preventing a haughty spirit from rising within us. Remember that an ungrateful spirit breathes life into an arrogant mindset, as exhibited by Holy Writ at Luke 17:11-19. Luke, the beloved physician, recounts the time when the Master displayed His mercy on ten lepers who begged for Him to heal them (cf. Luke 17:13-14). This moment recorded by Luke is often remembered because the Lord audibly wondered, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine” (Luke 17:17)? It is common to take the lesson of this inspired story to be a warning against ingratitude because the Lord marveled about the nine former lepers who did not return. However, it is important to realize that Luke (the inspired penman) chose to give more attention to the one who did return. Observe that Luke describes the reaction the one who did return had upon realizing his leprosy had been cleansed and his country of origin. Both of these details are valuable to the lesson that Luke’s account is attempting to impart. The great joy and gratefulness that the Samaritan demonstrated manifests his understanding of what Jesus had done for him. In order for us to understand the reason for his intense joy, it behooves us to summon into our memory what life would have been for a man or woman infected with this awful disease. Lepers were frequently ill treated by society because of the highly contagious nature of leprosy. The severe disfigurement that they would endure from leprosy transformed them into haunting figures greatly feared by everyone who beheld them. Sadly, this was an infirmity that could not be kept private because the leper was required to announce their presence by crying out “Unclean! Unclean” (Leviticus 13:45)! The life of a leper was a painful life of an outcast, “dwelling…outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:46). Indeed, this was an agonizing life for any human being to endure, but it was undoubtedly much greater for a leprous Samaritan dwelling near a Jewish village (cf. John 4:9b). Considering what life must have been for this unfortunate Samaritan before being cleansed highlights the reason for his potent gladness. The Samaritan’s humble spirit of thanksgiving displays what Jesus had taught Simon the Pharisee in his home about the proper attitude of one who’s many sins are forgiven (cf. Luke 7:36-50). It is wise to bring into mind that during that time, any infirmity a person had was associated with sin, specifically as Divine punishment for sin (cf. John 9:1-2). Luke scribes that what was petitioned to the Lord by all ten leprous men was, “Master, have mercy on us” (Luke 17:13)! Upon choosing to heal them from their disease, Jesus did just that; He was merciful to them. Yet, only one of ten men did not take for granted the mercy that was shown to them all. Mathematically speaking, this reveals that only 10% remembered the marvelous work that had been done for him, while the other 90% soon forgot the mercy that was shown to them, taking it for granted. Lamentably, this travesty still holds true in our modern culture today. The Jews had developed a bad habit of abusing miracles because they willingly ignored that miracles were exceptions and not the norm. The same can be said today as it pertains to prayer. Notice that while the nine cleansed lepers were still unclean, they diligently sought Jesus and pleaded with Him for His mercy, but once they benefited from His grace, they continued on with their day as of nothing extraordinary had just happened. Luke focuses more on the gratitude of the Samaritan who was cured with the goal of exhorting us to “Bless the Lord…and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:2). The inspired scribe encourages his readers not to take lightly all of the blessings we enjoy daily from our God and avoid believing that we are owed everything He gracefully gifts us. This, too, encourages us to learn to improve our prayer by understanding that the reason we ought to “pray without ceasing” so that through prayer we may “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1st Thessalonians 5:17, 18). Therefore, let us strive to belong to the top ten percent who do remember and acknowledge God’s presence in our lives by being thankful always. Let us emulate the example of the one Samaritan who bowed before Jesus to show his sincere gratitude for His mercy, recognizing that He did not have to show such kindness toward him, for the same is true for us.