Please and thank you

I have a problem which I can’t help but admit - I am obsessed with manners. I expect and appreciate the words please and thank you. If I am watching TV and someone is given something, but they do not say thank you - I shout at the TV.

A strange habit but I am always keen to make sure that I say please and thank you. If you are reading this, and you know me but can remember a time that I didn’t say please or thank you to you, I apologise.

In the gospel reading for this Sunday (Luke 17:11-19) we read of the healing of the ten lepers by Jesus.  It is a passage which should always challenge us to think of how often we forget to thank God rather than asking Him for something. In the story, we can be amazed that these lepers, who would have been outside of society due to their illness, are healed.  They call out to Jesus and ask Him to heal them. Of course, as Jesus sends the lepers to the priests they are healed. To be honest it is strange that unlike other healings Jesus has no physical contact with the lepers.

This shows us the power of Jesus but there is more to it than that. The lepers were outside of society but by Jesus sending them back to the priests he is almost skipping a step. Jesus hears their call but rather than making them come to Him, He sends them straight to the people who will be able to allow them back into society. If they were declared clean of leprosy by the priests they would be accepted.

This is really powerful. They were not accepted but an encounter with Jesus meant that they were now acceptable.  One of the lepers ran back to Jesus and thanked Him. 9 of those healed didn't go back to say thank you but they were still healed.

I wonder whether the ones who didn't turn back to say thank you were too excited, or if they took their healing for granted, maybe they were desperate to prove that they were now acceptable.  It makes me wonder how we can sometimes in our own rush, forget to thank God for all He has done. Perhaps we too can take Jesus for granted. It doesn't make us bad people. However, it does stop us from experiencing the opportunity of an enjoyable time with Jesus as we thank Him. The best relationships have to give and take but they always have an element of please and thank you. This is done with true appreciation. 

There is one other part of the story that I haven't thought of yet. The man who fell down at the feet of Jesus to worship Him and thank Him would have seemed the least likely. He was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were a group which the Jews didn't trust and the feeling was mutual. By Jesus, a Jew, accepting him the man knew healing beyond the physical. Jesus didn't just heal him so he could be accepted by others. Through the healing, the Samaritan had experienced acceptance from Jesus as well.

True acceptance, true healing. Something to be thankful for. Do we always realise and know that we are truly accepted and truly healed? This means we can approach Jesus whenever we want, this is a true relationship of give and take.

In the epistle reading (2 Tim.1:1-14)  we heard another vote of thanks. This time the writer of the epistle gives thanks for Timothy and his faith. I often find this a wonderful sign of appreciation. Can you imagine having a faith that encourages others so much that they thank God for your faith? This brings me to consider how often I thank people for their faith and praise God for it, but then how might other people react to this. I can shout at the TV when people don't say please and thank you, but how would I feel if I got so used to giving thanks for other peoples faith that this became an expectation of mine ?

A lot to be thankful for. One that Jesus loves and accepts us just as we are. Then that we can be thankful for the faith of others.

In the epistle there is the reminder to stay true to our faith and that this will be achieved by sticking to the teaching we have heard and also by never being ashamed of Jesus.