Reflections for Youth- Kicking Gratitude up a Notch

I’ve read a lot of self-help articles and social media posts lately that encourage people to take some time each day to list things they are grateful for. According to experts, studies show that developing a habit of focusing each day on gratitude can help people find happiness when they are feeling unhappy. It can help us develop positive habits.  It can help us to be more mindful and pay attention to positive things that happen throughout our days.

I agree. But, considering this week’s scripture lesson from the Gospel of Luke – I am suggesting that we all be like celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse and “kick it up a notch.”

Read Luke 17: 11-19

So, here’s the story. Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem and Luke writes that somewhere between Samaria and Galilee he enters a village and is approached by ten lepers.

I interrupt this story for a moment of background.  Leprosy was a terrible skin disease common in Biblical times that causes skin lesions and disfigurement and damage to extremities such as noses, feet, arms, and fingers.  It’s extremely contagious so those suffering from the disease often lived together in groups to help each other and avoid contact with those who were not sick. They often stayed near populated areas, though, to be able to beg for food, etc.

Okay, now that you may be a little grossed out, back to our story. When the ten saw Jesus they called to him and asked Jesus to have mercy on them.  

When Jesus saw them he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” The Bible says that as they went, they were made clean.”

Another sidebar for background:  The book of Leviticus ((Lev. 14:2 -32 ) explains the part of the Jewish law that priests had to certify healings – which is why Jesus directs them as such. Also, one of the ten in the story is identified as a Samaritan. The Samaritans lived in what had been the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The society itself was mixed racially, containing both Jewish and pagan bloodlines. They were historically disliked because they didn’t follow the strict Jewish laws and, possibly, because of their pagan ancestry.

Back to the story once again.  After they were healed by Jesus, only one of them (the Samaritan), turned back.  The scripture said he was praising God with a loud voice. He throws himself at Jesus’ feet to thanks him.

Jesus wonders out loud about the other nine.  They were healed as well, Jesus says, but it’s only the foreigner that returns to give praise.  Jesus then tells the Samaritan “Get up and go on your way: your faith has made you well.”

Here is what I am thinking about this passage.  Perhaps Luke shares this story about Jesus not to call out the nine that didn't say thank you but to emphasize that the proper response to an act of grace is thanks and praise.

Practicing gratitude is practicing our faith.  Faith is something that we have. But it is also something that we do, something we live. Something we have to practice.

Just like exercise makes our bodies feel better, there are also exercises that help us to better pay attention to God. We can call them spiritual exercises—like going to church and worshiping, singing, and praying together.  Another really good spiritual exercise is giving thanks to God and naming the things that we are grateful for each day. Just like the self-help experts recommend.

When we practice giving thanks we are making our ability to pay attention to God stronger. And, like the Samaritan man in Luke’s passage, when we do these exercises, then we are better able to receive the fullness of God’s love and share it with others. 

So, about the end of the story. Jesus tells the Samaritan "faith has made you well" referring to some blessing other than the healing - since that was already true for all. Perhaps was Jesus was showing us the difference between ‘being made clean” (which happened for all of the 10) - and “being made well” - meaning that the Samaritan was living his faith and acting on his faith by showing gratitude and praise.  

So, this week, let’s give this “being made well” a shot.  Here’s how I suggest that we (back to Emeril) "kick it up a notch."  I am going to give myself a new challenge this week. Instead of simply listing things that I am grateful for – I am going to try to name things that fit into the following categories:

•  No-brainers: Naming obvious things that are easy to be thankful for (family, friends, food, etc.)
• The now that you mention its: Naming things that you must dig a little deeper for- things that are not so obvious like clean water, trees, and nature
• The stretches: Naming things that are not obvious at all. Thinking about and listing those things that challenge us such as being overwhelmed with work or school, illness, or bad things that are happening in the world. Where among these things can you find something to be grateful?

Give it try! Here are some other questions to consider as you are thinking about gratitude:

• What kinds of things do you see or experience that could be God’s acts of grace?
• What are appropriate expressions of gratitude for these acts for God?
• What keeps you from seeing God’s grace in your life?
• What is the difference between offering thanks and praise out of habit and developing a habit of thanksgiving?
• Who do you know that has an attitude of gratitude? What can you learn from them?