Giving Thanks

By Steve Clark

November 27, 2025

Luke 17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks… (17:11-19)

How often do we find ourselves asking our children to say, “thank you”?  We want our children to be respectful and use good manners.  But I wonder if in our attempt to produce properly mannered children, we actually overlook our own thankfulness? 

Thankfulness is so much more than a comparison of our own situation to someone else’s. And it’s so much more than having enough food to eat, a nice, warm home to live in, good health, or financial security.  Each of those can be taken in an instant!

I truly believe that in my own life, I’ve become so accustomed to blessings that I fail to be thankful, and I take them for granted. 

In our passage, Luke shares with us the account of one leper who was not spoiled, and there are many lessons we can learn from him starting with—Thankfulness is expressed through your attitude.

I doubt this leper had a great deal of joy in having leprosy. He had to shout “Unclean” whenever he came close to others, as a warning to stay away. The first century belief was God gave leprosy to punish those who were sinful and disobedient.

But, even through all of that, it would appear that this leper maintained a spirit of joy and thankfulness. And because he did, it enabled him to fully appreciate what Christ had done for him.

We’ve all had circumstances in life where we’ve lived outside the city, like the leper. If we ask, “God, what did I do to deserve this?”—we are asking the wrong question. We need to ask, “How can I be thankful through this?” 

Here we are, Thanksgiving day! Does your life represent a spirit of thankfulness?   Are you thankful for just what is on your plate or are you thankful for the One that put it there?

Reflection—The contented man is never poor. The discontented man is never rich.