Where Are The Nine?

How big a deal is leprosy? 

Leprosy is death-in-life. It's bad enough that an infected person's body rots in place and that decayed noses and fingers fall off, but until recently people who had leprosy also had no hope of healing--and their families and friends would cast them out and not even breathe their air. Nobody could risk touching or working with a leper, and lepers were often reduced to painful beggary. 

Being healed is a ticket to life.

So is gratitude.

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, [Jesus] passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

This passage from Luke 17 suggests that gratitude is closely linked to faith. If we want to grow our faith, we can start by growing our gratitude.

Are we not all beggars?

Photo from Church of Jesus Christ.