The 10 Lepers Revisited

Remember the story of the ten lepers that Jesus healed, but only one returned to thank him? It seems that ingratitude is the norm with us humans. We receive so much and say thanks so little. But oh, what a difference God’s Spirit can make! Just look at all the good things that are being done all over the world in the name of Jesus. What else could motivate Christians but gratitude? There’s no way we can earn our salvation, and no way to pay Jesus back for purchasing it for us. So what is left, but to say “Thank you”?

Last night I heard how God’s Spirit worked in a group of Christians, moving them to say “thanks.” A week or two ago, one of the local Christians became critically ill. Some of his family took him to Hammer Afakule, a local evangelist that they thought could help. The sick man, Francois, was not from Hammer’s church, but from another church on the other side of “Watchiland.” Hammer didn’t have the money to take the guy to the hospital, so he borrowed it – about $100, which is a tremendous sum here.

Last night I talked to Hammer and he told me that a group of men from Francois’ church had ridden their bicycles to come and thank him for helping their brother. He was deeply touched. The bike ride probably took them about half a day. The people who came are just poor farmers, riding heavy “bush” bicycles. Hammer said that he knew that if they could have helped financially, they would have. Instead, they did all that they could. They put forth the effort to say “thanks.”

I was also touched. Touched by the faith that led these men to make the long trip. (Their trip wasn’t finished when they got to Hammer. They still had another long ride to the hospital to visit Francois, and then back home. It’s doubtful whether they made it in a day.) I was touched by the sense of community that would make them feel that it was their job to say thanks for something done for someone else. I was touched by Hammer’s willingness to sacrifice, to go into debt to help someone he barely knows.

“Thanks” is not a cheap response to grace. It can be a costly response, but it is the only response we can make. Because we are all just poor farmers, or sick lepers, unable to help ourselves or anyone else. It’s only because we are in a relationship with the One who can provide help, who did so at a great cost to Himself, that we can have hope. And all we can do is to say, “Thanks.” At whatever the cost.