Is Gratitude an Attitude?
Written by Dale Ebel
In Luke 17:11-19, Christ encounters ten lepers. I will pick up the story in verse 14:
“14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him–and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” – Luke 17:14-19 NIV
I am positively convicted by the response of the Lord Jesus Christ! Do you think expressing gratefulness (a simple thank you or praise to Yahweh God) is important? It’s pretty obvious from this text, isn’t it?
There are, as is all too well known, many bad human traits but ingratitude must be ranked as among the worst. The opposite is also true. Gratefulness demonstrates the fact that a person functions with a moral compass and is humble. Speaking for myself, when I express gratitude out loud to Christ, and to others, pride becomes minimized in my life. It’s difficult to be grateful and prideful at the same time, especially when we express gratefulness out loud!
I have observed that an ingrate cannot be either a happy or a decent person let alone a contagious Christian. Moreover, ingratitude or gratitude are rarely related to a person’s situation. There are people who have lives filled with good fortune, yet they’re profoundly ungrateful. On the other hand, there are people who have been deeply hurt by life, yet they seem to embody humility and gratitude.
Given how little gratitude seems to be related to a person’s situation, it must be regarded more as a value (a standard of behavior) than as a feeling. Gratitude does not come naturally to most people. It is a value that needs to be cultivated, just as like self-discipline, humility, honesty, or courage. This is probably one of the reasons why good parents tell their children to say, “thank you.” If gratitude were built into human nature, kids would not have to be told repeatedly to show appreciation.
The Bible is a wisdom teacher, which is why, as the Western world has abandoned the Bible as its central text, it has lost wisdom (and sadly substituted feelings). One of the great teachings of the Bible, and the great wisdom lessons that it offers, is the importance of being grateful and the disaster that ensues when people are ungrateful. Both the Book of the Covenants (OT) and the Renewed Covenant (NT) repeatedly use stories of gratitude and ingratitude to teach us. Think a bit more deeply about the above passage in Luke 17. Our Lord desired the other nine lepers to express thankfulness and praise to Him! He asked the haunting question:
“Where are the other nine?”
Oh my, this is motivational and convicting at the same time!
The Importance of Warnings!
I’m not sure about you, but generally speaking, warnings are a little disquieting for me.
However, I read and contemplate these biblical accounts with humility and receptivity. As I read them, they are not usually accompanied with warm loving feelings☺. I also measure part of my maturity level in Christ, by my effort to study and apply passages that are more difficult for me to receive and obey.
“6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, … 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.”
– 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11 NLT
The Apostle Paul recounts several historical incidences in Israel’s history that would qualify as warnings for us. (Look to 10:1-22).
The Ungratefulness of Korah the Levite
“8 Then Moses spoke again to Korah: “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the LORD’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them? 10 Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well?” – Numbers 16:8-10 NLT
One story in the book of Numbers chapter 16 is the recounting of the ungratefulness of the Levites and the influential leaders who “rose up against Moses,” (16:2-3). It is so intriguing to me that the sin of Korah, the Levite, is referred to in Jude 11, when addressing false teachers, who were ungrateful which led to their rebellion.
“What sorrow awaits them (false teachers)! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.” – Jude 1:11 NLT
I believe ungratefulness can lead to rebellion. Yahweh God judged the priests and those who grumbled and rebelled against Moses and Aaron by saying, “you have gone too far,” (16:3) and the earth swallowed them up.
“The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned.” – Numbers 16:32 NLT
What is additionally sobering is that the leaders and their whole households (women and children) were also destroyed.
The text is clear, God killed the wives and the children of Korah’s people. This is rather disturbing for some Bible readers, as it is for me. We do, however, have every reason to assume that they participated in the revolt— because Korah’s two sons who did not join their father’s rebellion were not killed. Look to Numbers 26:10-11.
Regarding God killing so-called “innocent families,” a rather insightful article from the website, www.Gotquestions.org, addresses this issue. Look to the title, “God commanding the Israelites to destroy the Midianites” found in Numbers 31:17.
A Present-Day Application
In view of the destructive indoctrination of Hamas’ children we can begin to understand the rationale of God killing families to protect societies at large and future generations. Psalm 83, when talking about a coming battle against God’s enemies, who wish to commit genocide against the Jews:
“They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more,” – Psalm 83:4 NASV
God will utterly destroy them. This is the only solution, and the implications are simply massive.
In addition to envy (of the priesthood), Moses pointed to the flaw in the rebel’s character: ingratitude. God had given them a special role (“the God of Israel has set you apart for the community of Israel and giving you access to him…)” yet those Levites who supported Korah wanted even more—the authority power and statute of the priesthood. Levites should not have rebelled against their leaders, because they already had an exalted position. An exalted position means little to those who seek more power, control, wealth, or fame.
Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, we purpose to practice gratefulness!
We purpose to obey you and not rebel against you and your instructions.
A Rational For The Sacrificial System: To Express Gratefulness
It is illuminating to me that one of the purposes of the sacrificial system found in Judaism is that God’s people express gratitude on a regular basis. Modern men and women may scoff at the Torah’s sacrificial systems, but they would do well to ask themselves how often they express gratitude? As I stated before — without gratitude, a person can neither be good, godly, nor happy. Gratitude must be regularly expressed, or it fades. This is one reason why we are to express gratefulness when taking communion.
Gratefulness is Tied to the Rituals of Remembering
“Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the LORD your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.” – Deuteronomy 5:15 NLT
“In the same manner [He] also [took] the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink [it], in remembrance of Me.” – 1 Corinthians 11:25 NKJV]
Examples of How God Has Used Gratefulness in My Experiences
The Redemptive Role of Gratefulness in my Salvation
The beginning stages of my salvation came when I recognized the encroaching power of rebellion in me against my parents. I remember the night lying in bed when I was in high school and confessing my sin of rebellion against my parents. I was breaking the 5th Commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” I repented of my sin of ungratefulness and rebellion and began to express out loud my gratefulness for my parents. That sent me on the trajectory to become a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ!
The Restorative Role of Gratefulness in a Marriage
I counseled many married couples as a pastor with mixed results. However, the most successful results were when a couple, who were significantly estranged from each other, began to praise God and express gratefulness, contrary to their feelings about specific qualities in their mate. I can say, without a doubt, that those who began to express gratefulness, their marriage took a turn toward lasting restoration. It sounds like an exaggeration, doesn’t it? But its not.
The Repairing Role of Gratefulness in a High School Student
When I was a youth pastor in San Clemente, CA a young teenage girl came to me expressing bitterness bordering on hatred towards her dad who was a non-Christian. I asked her, do you live in a house? Who provided clothes on your back? Did you have meal today? Then I asked: who provided those for you? Her response: My dad.
We got down on our knees and I asked her to praise God for her dad. Contrary to her feelings she was willing to pray out loud confessing her ingratitude and praising God for the good that her dad was doing for her. I helped her pray by repeating after me. I then asked her to pray in her own words and it was powerful as she articulated to the Lord what her non-Christian dad was doing for her.
This story is extremely redemptive! Her willingness to be grateful to God for her ungodly father changed her disposition and, more importantly, her behavior towards him. This is pretty staggering to me! How about you?
The Reinstating Role of Gratefulness in Relationships
As you might imagine, being a pastor for 30+ years came with blessings and discouragements. Many people grew to love me, but at the same time I agitated some and there were breaches between others.
In one particular case a huge rift took place between a staff-member and me. In this case the beginning stages of reinstating a healthy relationship between us began with me. Contrary to my feelings, I began to express to the Lord, out loud, my gratefulness for that particular person. I was able to call down a blessing on that person, his wife and children. Our relationship was restored. However, we mutually agreed that we would not work together.
Is gratitude an attitude? No, it’s a behavior that’s developed!
Applications
#1 based on Luke 17 express out loud, your gratefulness to the Lord Jesus Christ. Be as specific as possible and be lavish in your praise of Him! I think this brings Him great joy.
#2 generally speaking how do you respond to warnings in Scripture?
#3 what resonated with you about the account found in Numbers regarding Korah’s rebellion and ungratefulness?
#4 did you read the article from Got questions? How would you explain to a non-Christian about God judging people with death for rebellion?
#5 how have you integrated the rituals of gratefulness in your own Christian walk?
#6 what struck you about my four stories regarding gratefulness? Can you recount experiences in your life where you have seen the power of gratefulness?
Gratefully in Christ,
Dale