Dear Family and Friends,

I went to Costco this past Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Huge mistake. Cars were not only circling the parking lot, many were vying for the same stall.

I happened to read the lips and body language of one of the drivers involved in a face off. It wasn’t pretty.

As we transition from Thanksgiving into the holiday season, my hope is to spend the next few weeks preparing our hearts for Christmas.

And as a bonus, prepare us for those moments when we too are circling a parking lot and someone takes OUR stall.

Let’s spend our time this week looking at a familiar story.

“As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’

And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’

Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’”  Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭12‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is a story about us.

While we may not have a terrible skin disease, we have all been plagued by physical or emotional problems, regardless of how wealthy or healthy we happen to be.

We dine regularly with several groups of similar age friends. I know this sounds funny but, at some point in the evening, our dinner topic always turns to health. The colonoscopy stories went on for weeks.

My point in sharing this? Again, we all have issues of some kind, health or otherwise. Which makes us no different from the ten lepers.

So, what can we learn from the story of our newfound brethren?

1. We learn that Jesus, unlike society, honors even the broken and ostracized. He values all.

Nine of the ten men were on the bottom of the social hierarchy. The Samaritan was even lower.

But it didn’t matter; Jesus healed them.

As for us, regardless of who we are in this world, whether we have or lack status and success, Jesus values us as well.

2. We learn that Jesus values our faith.

Although we don’t know the depth of their faith, we do know the ten had enough faith to seek Jesus.

There’s another healing story worth mentioning.

Mark 9 tells of a boy possessed by a spirit. This is part of the conversation between the boy’s father and Jesus.

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.
If you can? said Jesus. Everything is possible for one who believes.
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”  ‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭22-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The boy’s father readily admitted to having doubts and lacking in faith. He essentially said, ‘I’m not faithful, I have doubts. But help me.’

And just as He did with the ten lepers, Jesus healed his son.

Why?

The boy’s father showed faith in Jesus instead of in himself. He had repentant helplessness. He admitted to his lack of righteousness and asked for help to become more so.

Jesus values our faith even when it may be lacking. So let’s be honest with Jesus and ourselves and ask Him for help. 

3. We learn that when we go to Jesus for help, we get far more than what we ask.

Note that the ten did not ask to be healed of their leprosy. They asked for pity. Other translations say they asked for mercy.

While we’re on the topic of mercy, let’s briefly look at the story of Jesus healing the paralytic in Matthew 9.

“Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus didn’t say, ‘get up and walk.’ Jesus gave the man more than he asked, something that’s eternal not temporal – the forgiveness of his sins. 

So it may be when we ask Jesus for help. He will likely ‘answer’ our prayers not as we wish, but with what’s best for us. 

4. We learn that when we go to Jesus for help, we may end up doing more than asking for help. 

Verse 14 says, “And as they went, they were cleansed.”

The ten lepers weren’t cleansed before they went. They first took a step, and then they were healed.

Jesus tested their faith. It took an act of faith to be healed. 

So it may be when we ask Jesus for help.

5. We learn that Jesus values gratefulness.

Nine former lepers didn’t have the presence of mind to thank Jesus. Which led Jesus to question their gratitude.

Which leads us back to today as we transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

This is an ideal time to thank Jesus for the blessed lives that we live.

We all have much to be grateful for. Including being healed of a disease no doctor can cure. One that inevitably leads to death. The disease called sin.

We didn’t have to ask. He just did it – – out of love that’s beyond comprehension. 

And He does even more for us. He didn’t stop there.

But I will for now. 

In love always,