Being the One ~ Gratitude

 

“If the only prayer you said was, “thank you,” that would be enough.  If you cannot find gratitude, you will never find peace.” ~  Meister Eckhart. 

This coming Sunday, July 31, we will focus on the Parable of the Grateful Samaritan who comes back to Jesus, after being healed of his skin condition, to say, “Thank you.”  The story can be found in Luke 17:11-19.  I encourage and invite you to pick up your Bible and read out-loud this story.  (Note, I know it sounds strange to say, “read out-loud”, but the Bible throughout most of human history was heard orally – not just confined to the silence or our minds as we read privately.  Reading Scripture can mean both speaking and hearing the words on the page.  As you bring your voice to the words, where do you put/place emphasis?  As you bring your voice to the words, where do you feel the words evoking and provoking something within you?  I believe such a practice, while a bit awkward at first, might help us speak/hear/live our way into scripture in new and life-giving ways!  Okay, tangent done…back to my point.)

The Samaritan comes back to say, “Thank you.”  I believe this can be a powerful prayer practice.  We all like to be thanked and appreciated.  We all carry wounds of times we poured our heart and soul into a project and didn’t feel recognized ~ which connects to the passage from yesterday in church.  Those who worked all day felt unappreciated or even foolish.  There are also moments when we criticize others and point out the flaws and foibles in their efforts ~ something to ponder anytime you want to give feedback to someone!!  To say, “thank you” is holy and as Luke 17 reminds us, makes us well or whole or full of Shalom (peace from the top of our heads to our pinkie toes).

 

Who would you say “thank you” to today?  Can you challenge yourself to say a genuine, heartfelt, honest, authentic “thank you” to five people?  By this, I mean, face-to-face, not just in the comment section online.  Let someone hear your thanks, let that person see the gratitude in the gaze of your eyes, let that person feel your warmth.  May each of us, like the Samaritan, live life with a glad and generous heart.  With my heartfelt love and appreciation for you.  Amen.