Although we have some horrific diseases that afflict our populace today, it is unlikely that very many people have seen members of their family fall prey to the disease of leprosy.  If you have ever traveled toHawaii, you may have visited the island of Molokai which was known for many years as the leper colony.  Victims of this disease in the 19th century were thrown off the ships and expected to swim in to shore so that the boats and their crew would not have to come into contact with lepers.  The village where the lepers were kept was so remote that roads could never be built there and only on the backs of pack animals, were people able to go in and out and bring supplies in and out.

So when Jesus healed ten (10) lepers all at one time during his ministry, those rejects from society had gotten a new lease on life.  They were no longer confined to leper colonies but had been returned to normal life.  This was a very big deal!  Imagine your arms and entire body covered with sores for years and in one day you’re a restored person with perfect skin.  The punch line is that only ONE leper was grateful enough to run back to Jesus and say, “THANK YOU”!  When I read this story in Luke 17: 11-19, it just amazes me that only one of the ten who were healed ran to Jesus to thank him.

A few days back, I called my dentist to get in and get my wisdom tooth checked when pain was shooting thru the right side of my head.  The X-ray showed no sign of problems but the pain was severe despite what the technology was showing.  My doctor looked everywhere and thought she found the problem and felt pulling an old filling out and replacing it would do the trick.  She also found that when doing that procedure that the tooth had a tiny splintered crack that would not show up on an X-ray and it fell off when she changed the filling. 

Five (5) days later I was telling my wife, I ought to stop by and give my dentist a hug because she had made my life better.  My wife said, “better yet, why don’t you just call her and say THANK YOU?”  Thank my doctor?  I forgot to do that!

Thank my financial advisor? Thank my pastor? Thank my client who just gave me a referral?  Thank my neighbor who just helped me?  Thank my boss for doing all the administrative junk at my office?  Am I the only one who feels like the 9 lepers who forgot to say “THANK YOU”?