BiblicalInsights.net

In art, sometimes the beauty of an object is highlighted by contrasting through color, light, or some other medium.  In language, the same is true.  The beauty of a concept can be seen more brightly through its contrast or its opposite. The beauty of thanksgiving can be seen by observing its contrast: ingratitude.
Where Are The Nine?  Luke 17:11-19.
Jesus heals ten lepers, one of whom is a Samaritan, and he is the only one who returns to thank the Lord for the physical healing.  Lepresy was a dreaded disease in Jesus’ day.  There was no cure for it.  It produced misery physically and socially.  A leper became a social outcast and was separated from the life of the community and religious activities.  Lepers had no hope.  The compassion of Jesus for these individuals led Him to heal them.  The healing was dramatic and it was discovered as they followed Jesus’ command to go and show themselves to the priest to confirm their physical well-being.  As they went, they were healed.  Only one returned to thank Jesus for the. miracle that would have radically changed each of their lives.  This prompted Jesus ask, “Where are the nine?”  The one who returned to Jesus was a Samaritan.  Jesus showed compassion to him without any prejudice.  Whenever the Samaritan returned to Jesus in gratitude, he received an even greater blessing.  Gratitude completed the circle of fellowship with the Lord.  The Lord said to him, “Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.”  This statement meant more than the physical healing.  All ten had received the miracle of healing.  Only the Samaritan received spiritual healing and was made completely whole.  Ingratitude robs of fellowship with God and all the spiritual blessings that God has to offer.  The beauty of gratitude is that it brings us back to God who blessed us in the first place.  This completes the circle of fellowship with God whereby we can obtain even greater blessings.  Physical healing is a wonderful blessing, but, spiritual healing (forgiveness) is even more precious.
The Danger of Riches in Producing Ingratitude.  Mark 10:17-22.  
The rich man Jesus encountered in this narrative wanted to know what he had to do to obtain eternal life.  He desires to know how to pursue the ultimate quest of the human heart–everlasting life.  At first, Jesus directs him to the Law of Moses (the law he lived under at the time) and to keep covenant with God (obey the commandments in the law).  The man replied that he had done so from his youth up.  Jesus perceived the he lacked one thing.  He told him to, “go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mk. 10:21).  The man went away sorrowful, because he had great riches.  Jesus loved this man (Mk. 10:21), but, this man did not love the Lord back.  He failed to see that his riches were a blessing from God.  His ingratitude due to covetousness led him to reject the love of Jesus and the gift of everlasting life.  Covetousness is linked to lovelessness.  Lack of love for the Lord fails to complete the circle of fellowship with the Lord that leads to everlasting life.  The beauty of gratitude is that it is an act of love that binds us to the Lord so that we can have everlasting life with the Lord.
Ugly Bed-Fellows.  II Tim. 3:2.
The word “unthankful” is found twice in the KJV:  Luke 6:35 and II Tim. 3:2.  In II Tim. 3:2, the word “unthankful” is associated with eighteen other sins.  These sins would characterize the “last days” or the Christian Age.  Ingratitude is a sin that keeps company with many other ugly traits: lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Ingratitude corrupts the heart and turns it against God.  The beauty of gratitude is that it comes from a pure heart out of which God is praised.  “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17).  God blesses us and, then, we bless God.  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).  God blesses us, and, then, we bless God.  The cycle is repeated over and over again.  Gratitude is a key aspect of faithfulness to God!
Despising The Goodness of God.  Luke 6:35 and Rom. 2:4.
In Luke 6:35, ingratitude is associated with evil. God is good.  He does good even to the unthankful and evil person.  They are the recipients of temporal blessings (rain and sunshine–Mt. 5:45).  In Rom. 2:4, Paul exposes the link between ingratitude and impenitence.  “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing the the goodness of God leadest thee to repentance?”  Those who despise the riches of God’s goodness will not repent.  “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Rom. 2:5).  Despising the goodness of God reveals an even bigger heart problem–rebellion against God.  Gratitude brings us closer to God where we are drawn by the goodness of God to change our lives to live in conformity with God’s will.  The beauty of gratitude is that it is the pathway to oneness with God!
The Dark Path.  Rom. 1:21.
The dark path is marked by ingratitude.  “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.  And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:21-23).  Ingratitude led to idolatry and the dark path that is associated with it.  Idolatry involves both moral and religious corruption.  The beauty of gratitude is that it marks the path of righteousness that both pursues and preserves relationship with God.
The Beauty of Thanksgiving.
The beauty of thanksgiving is seen in that it: completes the circle of fellowship with God which ushers in even greater blessings from God; it is an act of love that binds us to the Lord and makes everlasting life possible; it is associated with worship of God and keeps us faithful to God; it recognizes God’s goodness which compels us to change our lives and live in oneness with God, and it marks the pathway of righteousness that both pursues and preserves relationship with God.