Now What Do You Say?

“Now What Do You Say?”

Luke 17:11-19

I read this past week about a psychologist who teaches at Harvard, who claims you and I can train our brains to become more grateful by setting aside just five minutes a day for practicing gratitude.

He points a one-week study in which participants were asked to take five minutes a day, at the same time every day, to write down three things they were thankful for. They didn’t have to be big things, but they had to be concrete and specific, such as, “I’m thankful for the delicious Mexican take-out dinner I had last night.” Or, “I’m thankful that my daughter gave me a hug.” Or, “I’m thankful that my boss complimented my work.” The participants simply expressed thanks for three specific things at the same time every day, for one week.

Then, a month later, the researchers followed up and found that those who practiced gratitude - including those who stopped the exercise after one week - were happier and less depressed. Remarkably, after three months, the participants who had been part of the one-week experiment were still more joyful and content. Incredibly, after the six-month mark, they were still happier, less anxious, and less depressed.

The researchers concluded that the simple practice of writing down three thanksgivings a day over the course of a week primed the participants’ minds to identify and acknowledge the good in their lives.

In other words, counting your blessings brings a happier life.

Being thankful... being grateful... is something we have to practice! And beyond that, it’s a practice we must be taught. We have to be deliberate and intentional about it. It doesn’t come natural to most of us.

I mean; we all had to teach our children to say, “thank you,” right? Our parents had to teach us.

How many times when someone did something nice for one of your children, if they didn’t say “Thank you” - you reminded them, “now what do you say?” Thank you!

The main reason we say “thank you” when someone gives us a gift... or passes us the mashed potatoes and gravy, is because we were taught to do so.

We don’t naturally reciprocate with gratitude. If not taught to be thankful, and appreciative, we’re generally not. Gratitude is a product of “good home raising” - of discipline and etiquette. And you can immediately tell when someone is lacking “good home raising” - based on their simple ability to say “Thank you” - right?

Have you every held the door open for someone entering a building and they just brushed on past you without saying, “Thank you?” It kinda makes you wish you hadn’t been so nice! But what do you do the next time? You hold the door open again. Because you were taught to do it... and when someone holds the door for you... you say “Thank you!” You express gratitude.

In fact, if serving as a pastor, and on the city council, has taught me anything... it has taught me that most people have lost the ability to be grateful for their blessings, or even recognize blessings, as... well, blessings!

Most people have been blessed to the point that we take many of our blessings for granted today.

For example (and this is just one example). Let the electricity stop flowing for any reason... and people lose their minds! They go crazy! We’re so accustomed to the luxury of electricity, that we’ve declared it an entitlement... and we (current company excepted, of course) no longer see it as a blessing... we pretty much no longer see it as something we should be grateful for.

I’m pretty sure, that somewhere in history, there was Samaritan mother or father that did their job very well - at least where being grateful is concerned. The Bible tells us that after being healed of leprosy, a Samaritan returned to say “thank you” to Jesus. At first he had run along rejoicing. But I imagine that he heard is parents' voices in his head saying, "Now what do you say?” Thank you - you say thank you.

So he returned and gave thanks to Jesus.

Of course, there were ten lepers who were healed... not just one. What happened to the other nine?

Maybe they lacked good “home raising!” Maybe they didn’t realize or appreciate their healing... maybe they took it for granted that Jesus heals, it’s his job, so there was no need to return to offer thanks.

But in light of this story from God’s Word, I also can’t help but admit... many times, maybe even most of the time... I’m one of the nine.

How many times have we... yes, you and me... how many times have we failed to thank God, to thank Christ, for his countless blessings?

I know there are times when I focus way too much on what I don’t have, rather than what I have. Or when I can only see what the world is doing to me, rather than what Christ has done for me. Am I alone? Nope.

It’s been said many times from this pulpit... that we’re a blessed people. But we have to be intentional when it comes to recognizing our blessings as gifts from God. We have to remember to say, “Thank You.”

The fact is: If you have adequate clothing... shoes to wear... a warm bed... a pantry with food to eat... and roof over your head... and some spare change - you’re in the 10%... the most blessed people to ever walk the face of the earth.

As followers of Christ... we know that all of our blessings are gifts from God. A God who blesses us with grace upon grace already given. A God who loved us so much, that when we deserved wrath, He gave us Jesus.

But we usually forget to say thank you. Nine times out of ten we just go on our way.

We need to be grateful... to offer thanks for all the things God has done for us! NOT just one day a year! But everyday!

Let’s choose to be a people of gratitude. Let’s be the “one in ten” who thanks Jesus for his goodness, and grace.

One things certain. The more we thank God for our blessings in our lives... the more we search out and acknowledge God’s goodness... the more blessings we see.

Amen.