Following the One

Few things provide a surer sign of spiritual sickness and immaturity than that of not being thankful. Parents know what ungratefulness looks like. Children, being born self-centered sinners, naturally take for granted all the blood, sweat, tears, and dollars their parents invest in them. So, parents are frequently reminding their children to give thanks.

“Remember to thank your mother for making dinner.” “Thank your grandparents for that nice birthday gift.” “Have you finished your graduation ‘thank you’ cards, yet?”

Why do parents do this? For most, it isn’t merely to get their children to perform a social courtesy. What they want is for their children to see grace and feel thankful. They know instinctively that seeing grace and feeling thankful is a sign of a spiritually healthy person, and of course they want their child to be spiritually healthy. And they instinctively know there is something wrong, something unhealthy about a person who doesn’t express gratitude for a grace they have received.

This is expressed by Jesus no better than in an event that took place as recorded in the book of Luke 17:11-19. Luke describes for us an encounter in which Jesus is met by ten men in need of healing. The ten are traveling companions because their disease of leprosy forbade them from contact with any others. So, as the gospels so often illustrate, these men would cry out to Jesus for healing. Undoubtedly, they had heard the reports of others whose diseased situation had been transformed by the Great Physician. Displaying the power of God and the divinity of Christ, each of the men walked away from that encounter completely cleansed of leprosy. However, as with every instance of physical healing in Scripture, this miraculous occurrence was intended to point to the need for spiritual healing. As is often the case, relatively few (in fact, only one) of the men came to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Only this one would return to give thanks, proving that his heart had been changed and his sins had been forgiven.

While this event is certainly illustrating the manner in which God’s people would treat Him by rejecting His Son, it also spotlights our own sinful attitudes. Since only one would return to properly show faith by the giving of thanks to Jesus, it is helpful for us to acknowledge at least nine reasons why we also fall short of glorifying God through our thanksgiving. And we must take note that such ingratitude is indicative of a sinful heart.

1) Unregenerate—For nine men, the flesh had been changed, but not the heart. None is more ungrateful than one who is not forgiven. A sure sign of the sin-sickened soul is that one who despises giving thanks to a God for whom they have no love.

2) Proud—The one who needs nothing from God will certainly refuse to give Him thanks. Jesus did not come to save the healthy, but the sick (Matthew 9:12). Most reject Christ because, frankly, they think they have no need of Him. It is quite ridiculous to think that any one of these lepers would be proud. Only more ridiculous is to think that any one of us could stand to do the same.

3) Unaware—God’s Word is a “light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). Without it, we are blind to God’s goodness. Yet, Paul proclaims that because of God’s work in creation, only the fool would be unaware of His provision (Romans 1:19-22). None so blind as those who will not see.

4) Entitled—Many are ungrateful because they believe themselves deserving—the good favor they know is merited. Yet, in reality, the only things any of us deserves from God is His wrath. Anything else He gives is any act of colossal mercy.

5) Idolatry—To cherish anything but Christ is the worst kind of insurrection against the King. It expresses itself in ungratefulness, and proves our spiritual idiocy.

6) Ignorance—Some refuse to give thanks because they can only find reason for complaint. They quip, “If only…then I would give thanks.” They prove themselves ignorant of the Scriptures’ clear teaching that suffering, while never pleasant, must come (John 16:33). In fact, since it brings us closer to Christ, suffering is a gift. As Charles Spurgeon would write, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”

7) Prayerlessness—A complaining heart is a sure sign of a woeful lacking in prayer. Since God promises peace to guard our hearts and minds when we pray (Philippians 4:6-7), ungratefulness proves that we refuse to go to God in prayer.

8) Hurriedness—When Martha chose to prepare her kitchen for a meal rather than prepare her heart for worship (Luke 10:38-42), she spouted out her complaining spirit. If we are not careful, the tyranny of the urgent will insidiously pull us away from our first love.

9) Conflict—Combativeness does not foster thankfulness. Yet, the Bible instructs us that so much of our unrest with others is rooted in a restlessness toward God (James 4:1-4). When we cherish any sin in our lives, a growing ungratefulness will ensue.

As we set aside a day in which to give thanks this year, may we learn from the Scriptures that God commands and invites us to have a thankful heart at all times. It is the work of His grace alone. Yet, let us make every effort to detach with those nine who would brazenly forget God’s goodness. Let us go with the one whose transformation was more than skin deep. Let us give thanks to God for His unending goodness.

Jason