No story in the Bible more movingly
pictures human gratitude than the healing of
ten lepers in Luke 17:12-18...

And as He entered into a certain village,
there met Him ten men that were lepers,
which stood afar off'. and they lifted up their
voices and said, ëJesus, Master, have mercy on
us.í

And when He saw them, He said unto
them, ëGo shew yourselves unto the priests.í
And it came to pass, that, as they went, they
were cleansed.

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

And Jesus answering said, ëWere there not
ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There
are not found that returned to give glory to
God, save this stranger.í"

Have you too found that sometimes when a
person gets what he wants, he forgets to say
thank you? Throughout Jesus' ministry, He
was giving examples of how we should live. He
knew -- as He knew all things -- that only
one man would return to express appreciation.
Thus, Christ wanted this story of the ten
lepers recorded for future generations, so that
we would know the importance of giving
thanks.

Give Without Expecting Thanks?

I've heard it said that we should not
"expect" thanks in return for the kindnesses we
show. If we don't expect it, we will never be
disappointed in our fellow man. However, I
believe that the attitude of being grateful and
showing it is a biblical principle. Notice verse
17; it seems as if Jesus expected a "thank-you"
from all ten lepers. He said, "But where are the
nine?"

Jesus was showing us a practical example of
Colossians 3:15, "Be ye thankful." Obviously,
thanksgiving is expected of us. This is one
reason mothers and fathers, while teaching
their children to speak, emphasize the
importance of saying "please" and "thank
you.

We expect such "common" courtesies even
from toddlers. Naturally, it is disconcerting
when adults are ungrateful in response to
God's kindnesses to them. How many of us
follow the dictum of Colossians 3:15, "Be ye
thankful"?

Bless the LORD, O My Soul!

In Psalm 103, we read a beautiful song of thanksgiving:

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is
within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all
His benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who
healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who
crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender
mercies;

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord executeth righteousness...

(Psalm 103:1-6)

Notice in this text that the psalmist recalls
the "benefits" of serving God, and even lists
them in his song of praise. Have you ever
created such a list? The little Sunday School
song that I learned as a child implores us to
"count your blessings; name them one by one,
and it will surprise you what the Lord has
done." When we pray and give thanks to God,
let us remember all the wonderful blessings He
has bestowed on us!

A Chocolate Remembrance

It was my special joy to meet and fellowship
with the many friends who came to our open
house at our JVI Headquarters. What a
pleasure it was to hear so many of them say,
"Thank you" to Dr. Van Impe and me during
that great day of celebration.

Some of our friends even surprised us with
special presents. I'll never forget, one beautiful
little girl, maybe seven years of age, with her
big eyes glowing, handed me a box of candy
and said, "We remembered that your husband
likes chocolates." I reached down, embraced
her, and said, "Thank you, sweetheart."

Since we are unable to write thank-you
notes to everyone who came to our open
house or brought gifts, I would like, in this
open forum, to thank everyone for their
thoughtfulness, love and generosity.

But let me go one step beyond thanking our
wonderful guests who came to visit us. Let me
also extend my gratitude to every supporter
and friend of our ministry. Thank you all, dear
ones, for your financial help, prayers, letters
and encouragement.

We especially thank you whose lives have
been changed for your notes and letters of
testimony. Jack and I have had many praise
sessions because of God's word in your hearts.

The Impact of Encouragement

It would be virtually impossible to carry on
this ministry to which God has called us
without help and encouragement from
precious friends like you. We need your
encouragement; we thrive upon hearing about
your triumphs and victories because God used
our ministry to reach you. It is difficult to
express the impact we feel as we receive
hundreds of thousands of letters each year
sharing such blessings. It is like a warm ray of
sunshine on a cold winter's day.

At His last supper, Jesus showed us exactly
how important encouragement is at the
darkest hours of our life. When Jesus had thus
said, He was troubled in spirit, and testified,
and said, ëVerily, verily, I say unto you, that
one of you shall betray me.í Then the disciples
looked one on another, doubting of whom He
spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom
one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved (John
13:21-23).

John could feel the Master's burdened spirit
and leaned his head on Jesus to express his love
and concern. John wanted to give his Lord a
measure of additional strength and
encouragement. This example of human love
from this disciple is so beautiful that it cannot
be overlooked.

I am sure Jesus absorbed a great deal of love
and respect from His apostles. I do believe,
however, God laid it on their hearts to be
extremely compassionate and supportive of
the Lord Jesus especially because of the agony
which lay ahead.

The Most Important Person on Earth

Jack and I thank you for the encouragement
you have been to us. May our example help
you to express appreciation to special people in
your life for the blessings they have been to
you.

For instance, when was the last time you
said "thank you" to the person you hold
dearest on earth? Remember your mate is a gift
from God, and the Bible teaches us to love and
respect each other. Read Ephesians 5:20,25,28.

Ladies, when the man in your life opens the
door for you, do you say, "Thank you,
sweetheart"? Gentlemen, when the lady of
your dreams fixes your favorite meal, do you
remember to say, "Thank you honey, that was
delicious!" (You might even say "thank you"
when the roast is tough, especially when you
have only been married for 10 weeks!) When
your son or daughter plans a surprise birthday
party for you, do you give him or her a loving
hug and express gratitude? Oh how important
it is to be mindful to say "thank you,"
especially to those closest to us.

Thanks for the Memories

Parents, also, deserve our thanks. In fact,
the edict to honor our father and mother is
one of the Ten Commandments -- and it is
the first commandment with a promise.
Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days
may be long upon the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee (Exodus 20:12).

I am sure that there are many people who
made an infinitely important impact upon
your life, but who probably are not aware of it.
Perhaps there was a teacher somewhere along
the line who captured your imagination and
helped you to learn. Would it not be a
wonderful idea to write a thank-you note
telling him or her of the great contribution
that they made toward the success of your
career and personal life?

I heard the story of a grown man who
remembered his best school teacher from years
past, and sent her a letter thanking her for all
she had given him and his classmates. The
teacher was in her 80's now, and gratefully
replied, saying: "I taught school for 50 years,
and this is the first note of gratitude I have
ever received!"

Likewise, your thank-you note would mean
so much to someone today.

Everyday Gratitude

Most of us don't take the time to thank our
pastors or Sunday School teachers or ministers
of music and youth for the hours they spent
studying and preparing to help us in our
spiritual walk. I feel confident they would
appreciate knowing you are grateful and have
been blessed by their ministry.

Saying "thank-you" will also enhance your
opportunities to witness for Christ. When the
clerk at the supermarket is helpful, look that
person right in the eye and say, "Thank you."

I know this is appreciated, because one
young lady who has helped me many times at
the store said to me, "You know, Rexella, you
are the only customer who really looks at me,
and this tells me I'm important to you." I pray
she sees more than just a look, but that
through my eyes she sees Someone whocares
for her deeply.

Of course, we could go on and on with a list
of people who deserve our thanks, but as you
open your horizon of opportunities to show
appreciation, let me assure you that you will
experience a great sense of satisfaction in
expressing it.

H.W. Beecher said, "Pride slays
thanksgiving. A proud man never thinks he
gets as much as he deserves."

The Bible tells us that all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory of God. In light of
eternity, none of us "deserves" the many
wonderful blessings which have been bestowed
on us. Our sinful humanity deserves only
eternal punishment.

Yet Christ in His infinite mercy provided a
way of escape for us through His shed blood,
and rewards us with eternal life. How can we
not be thankful every moment of our lives? We
did nothing to deserve all of His blessing;
Christ did it all.

So there is no room for pride in our lives,
and oh -- so much room for thanksgiving!
Let us rejoice this day and obey the command
of Colossians 3:15: "Be ye thankful."

It seems to me that most Christians today
-- especially Protestants -- spend little time
thinking about Mary.

Oh, once a year she shows up on a
Christmas card, shown either riding on a
donkey's back or keeping a silent vigil beside
the newborn Christ child in the manger. Even
then, she may be scarcely noticed amid the
animals, shepherds, and wise men.

On those occasions when we do think
about Mary, our main concern may be
maintaining the proper balance between
reserve and respect for this remarkable
woman. Yet we can't fully understand the
miracle of the Christmas story if we fail to
consider Mary's role. She's really the central
human figure in one of the most important
events in the history of mankind.

Who was Mary? What relevance does her
life have to our personal faith?

I am astounded by her comprehension and
calm acceptance of the monumental miracle
the angel Gabriel announced would happen.
Imagine a poor, uneducated peasant girl being
told she would conceive and give birth to a
great king, the Son of God! Yet Mary
understood... and she believed.

Perhaps one of the few people Mary could
confide in during this time was her cousin,
Elisabeth, who was to be the mother of John
the Baptist. Elisabeth confirmed that what was
happening to Mary was divinely ordained, and
encouraged her. Blessed is she that believed, said
Elisabeth, for there shall be a performance of
those things which were told her from the Lord
(Luke 1:45).

In the midst of today's relaxed (collapsed?)
moral standards, it may be difficult for us to
realize the sacrifice Mary had to make to agree
to yield herself to the Holy Spirit. In her
culture, for an unmarried woman to be found
with child could have resulted in a death
sentence!

At the very least, she faced
misunderstanding by most people, probably
rejection by her betrothed, and scorn and
shame in the eyes of her contemporaries.

Which of us would have the courage and
strength to subject ourselves to such an ordeal?
But Mary's strong faith moved her to
cooperate with God's plan. Her simple,
humble response was, Be it unto me according
to thy word (Luke 1:38).

Mary stands out in the gospel story as the
symbol of the true humanity of Jesus. She is
the link between the divinity of Christ and the
humanity of Jesus. She is the link between the
divinity of Christ and the humanity of all
mankind. Jesus could not have been
completely God and completely man without
Mary's role.

Without question Mary and her husband,
Joseph, played an important role in shaping
and influencing the developing years of the
young Jesus. As a youngster, Jesus was taught
the scriptures and the laws of God. When He
amazed the learned scholars in Jerusalem at
age 12, one can say that His divinity shone
through... but He also had been taught and
trained to do His homework.

And it may well have been at home that
Jesus learned the words He cried at
Gethsemane -- "Not my will, but thine be
done!" Certainly His mother had set an
example before Him of humble submission to
the plan of God.

The character exemplified in the life of
Mary is an inspiration and challenge to every
believer. She was courageous, committed,
compassionate, and concerned.

Mary's Courage

I envision Mary having great strength and
durability, yet retaining complete and perfect
femininity. She was courageous, going calmly
and with dignity where few others would have
been willing to go. She faced hardship,
opposition, even danger, with no complaints.
She was willing to let God's will be done in her life.

After facing the ostracism and personal
humiliation of being pregnant without a
husband, Mary had the strength and courage
to mount a donkey only a few days before
giving birth and make the long, hard journey
to Bethlehem.

And it must have taken courage of another
kind to deal with the throngs of strangers who
came to visit her newborn son -- shepherds,
wise men from the East, and doubtless other
curious onlookers.

Later, when Herod sought to kill all babies
in the land, she helped save Jesus from the
slaughter by journeying to Egypt with Joseph
and the child to live among foreigners. Did
this take courage? Absolutely!

And let's not forget the courage demanded
of Mary to take on the responsibility for
rearing and nurturing Jesus through his
childhood and into manhood. It takes great
courage to be the parent of any child -- how
much more to be the mother of the Son of God?

Mary's Commitment

Once Mary heard and responded to the
angel's announcement that she was chosen for
a divine commission, she was committed.
From that moment on, she never wavered or
looked back.

Her commitment was complete -- she set
aside any personal ambitions and dreams to
make herself available to God's plan. Her
whole life was dedicated to carrying out the
divine mission to which God had called her.

So seriously did she take her responsibility
that the crisis of losing and finding her Son
again in Jerusalem when He was 12 prompted
her to scold Him for causing her such concern.
And Jesus gently rebuked her by reminding
her that He must be about His Father's
business.

And a few years later, at Calvary, her
commitment kept her at the front of the cross
while almost everyone else fled. Even in the
face of what must have been tremendous
anguish to see her Son's suffering, she
remained committed to God's plan.

Mary's Compassion

From the beginning of her adult life, Mary
lived her life for others. She put the needs of
others before her own, and ministered to those
around her -- husband, family, friends.

I imagine Mary as being the perfect
embodiment of all the marvelous qualities of
the virtuous wife described in Proverbs 31. She
was humble, but supremely capable and
efficient in her efforts to serve.

Can you imagine this woman going around
very arrogantly, saying, "Treat me special -- I
am the mother of the Son of God?" Of course not.

Surely Jesus patterned part of His life after
her example. When he promised rest to those
who labor and are heavy laden, He said, I am
meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). I am
sure He must have observed the qualities of
humility and compassion in her daily life.

Mary's Concern for Others

The story of Christ's first miracle in turning
water into wine at the wedding in Cana
provides a very telling insight into the
character of the mother of Jesus. Even in a
situation where providing the refreshments
was not her responsibility, Mary was
concerned for others. When it became obvious
that there was not enough to drink at the
wedding feast and the host was about to be
embarrassed, she got involved.

She was aware of what was going on around
her... and was concerned about the problems
of others. But more than feeling sympathy for
them, she had a solution. "I know my Son can
take care of this," she said.

After making Jesus aware of the problem,
she told the servants of the house, Whatsoever
He saith unto you, do it (John 2:5). And, of
course, the Lord did meet the need and the
beverage He provided was recognized as the
best of the evening!

So Mary's life is an inspiration to us -- her
courage, commitment, compassion, and
concern. Her Christian character and devotion
is an eloquent witness that, with the help of
the Holy Spirit, we can be strong enough to
withstand any test, even the crucifying
tensions of modern life. Perhaps the key to
Mary's spiritual life is found in that beautiful
Bible passage known as the Magnificat (see
Luke 1:46-53). In those wonderful verses it
seems one can hear her opening her innermost
heart as she cries -- "My soul doth magnify
the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God
my Savior... holy is His name. And His
mercy is on them that fear Him from
generation to generation."

Thank you, Mary, for the inspiration and
godly example of your faith-filled life! May
God help us to magnify the Lord, rejoice in
our spirits, and receive His mercy... today,
and until His perfect plan is fulfilled in all the earth.