Are you the one or one of the nine? I am referring to Luke 17:11 – 19, the story of the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus as He walked along the road.

Jesus is walking to Jerusalem when he passes ten lepers and they ask him to take pity on them. He heals then and tells them to go get cleansed at the temple, which was what Mosaic law required. Nine of the lepers left, the other, a Samaritan, stayed, praised God and threw himself at the feet of Jesus, thanking him. Jesus asks why he, the foreigner, was the only one to thank him.  

 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.  And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance  and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”  When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.  Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”  And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11 – 19

Are you the one who stayed to thank Jesus or are you one of the nine who walked away after they were healed? How often does God do something good for us and we just walk away and don’t take the time to thank Him? How often do we not even realize it was He who “healed” us?

In today’s world I would think there are a lot more of the nine than the one. Maybe that is why the world is in such a mess?