Start being thankful..!

Sunday, November 27, 2011 - There are certain historical incidents that form a question mark in my mind. One such is that of the ten leprosy patients being healed by Christ two thousand years ago. Ten lepers scarred with the dreaded disease; limbs missing, face disfigured, maggots imbedded in wounds and totally ostracized by family and community. The Lord healed them. Only one of them came back to thank Him! The question mark becomes bigger and bigger. After being cured of the most terrible disease of those times, didn’t nine of the healed have the graciousness to come back and say thank you? How ? T’ was this morning I read this poem spoken most probably by one of those ungrateful fellows:

I mean’t to go back, but you may guess. I was filled with amazement I cannot express. To think that after those horrible years, That passion of loathing and passion of fears, By sores unendurable - eaten, defiled-My flesh now was smooth as the flesh of a child!

I was drunken with joy, I was crazy with glee; I scarcely could walk and scarcely could see, For the dazzle of sunshine, where all had been black; But I mean’t to go back Oh, I meant to go back!

I had thought to return, when my people came out, There were tears of rejoicing and laughter and shout; My cup was so full I seemed nothing to lack-But I meant to go back, Oh, I meant to go back..!”

Have you ever visited a home for the aged? You’ll find little old men and women with myopic eyes staring into the distance, waiting, waiting for son or daughter who meant to come back but never came back to see them. “We gave our lives for them,” they murmur, “can’t they come just once and say thanks?”

During the last few years of his life, a well known theology professor in Scotland lost all memory of his past. While remaining cordial to former university colleagues who came to visit, he had no idea who they were. But despite his memory loss, he never forgot to say thanks. One friend recalled that whenever a member of the nursing home staff, brought him some bread, butter and tea, the professor would exclaim, “This calls for a thankyou prayer.” Then bowing his head he would say with deep feeling, “Praise God forever and ever. Amen.”

Thankfulness was so ingrained in his heart that even the loss of memeory did not remove it. Is it the same with us or are we like those nine healed lepers, saying, “I mean to go back, oh I mean to go back?” Start going back today.

—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com