The Great Power of Gratitude
by Don Jíbaro Orlando

The Gospel of Luke, chapter 17, tell us that Jesus passed through a village where ten lepers, men with a very serious skin disease, met Him. They stayed at a distance because they were not allowed to approach anyone who was healthy. From a distance they called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, master, have mercy on us!

As He told them to go and show themselves to the Priest, all ten men were healed, but only one returned to give thanks. “One of them, when he saw that he had been healed, came back praising God in a loud voice.” He threw himself at Jesus' feet and THANKED Him.

Remember, he was a Samaritan; one who was looked down upon by the Jews as a half-breed and an idolater. Jesus asked: “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? Then Jesus said to him, ‘Rise and go, your faith has made you well.'”

So, what's the point? Why give thanks?
Do not focus on the fact the the Pilgrims got Manhattan for a couple of bucks... Today. Thanksgiving Day becomes a time where families gather to feast with a roasted turkey dinner. Most people enjoy many privileges and prosperity but fail to be thankful for many of them. Think about it... if we do not have all that we desire, the comforts that we already have become little or nothing. Do you think that those have sacrificed of themselves in order to give to others will take this well? Don't you hate it when you have broken your back to give a great comfort to your children, friends or strangers and they fail to be grateful?

Suppose you were to give a friend or a relative some money and he came and said: "Pero chico, this isn't enough!” This reaction would be intolerable to you, that he should react to your gift in such manner, just because you have not given him as much as he wants. ¡Ay, Bendito!

Aren't you glad you have a nice warm bed at home? Huh?
For us to say that what God allows us to have is nothing or not enough, is a blatant act of shameful ingratitude. Gratitude means you DO KNOW there's someone worse off than you! You could be dead!

God, as you may or may not recognize, magnifies and increases all goodness, makes them great, and all problems little. But the Spirit of Evil goes quite contrary. His rhetoric is to lessen God’s mercies and amplifies evil things. Thus... a good man wonders that his problems aren’t bigger and give thanks; while a wicked man wonders why his cross is so heavy: "Oh, none was ever so afflicted as I am."

Let’s then beware of the malcontented heart; that makes men and women unthankful for all the goodness God, through a friend or relative (or even a stranger) has granted them. Such discontent becomes an evil sore in their soul and will eventually ruin their lives, leaving them sad and lonely.

A life of gratitude is a life of humility. There is no reason to be proud of oneself, or to say, "I have this… I have achieved that." The way we live, the way we speak, the way we behave towards others, subtly reveal our invisible pride. Whatever we have is a gift from God, believe that. We have health, wisdom, opportunity, and capability because God gives them to us. Realizing this, we are humbled, for we know that all of it can be taken away.

Do you complain that you have no shoes? Have you ever seen someone who has no feet, or no legs? There's always someone worse of than you, no matter how down low you get. Get out you little 'ol pouch of change you've saving all year around and put it on top of that little ol' dashboard on that little 'ol car of yours and GIVE... GIVE to those stretching arms by the off ramp, begging for a morsel. Nothing is going to make you feel better... I MEAN NOTHING!

Therefore, be grateful for ALL that you have… and you’ll never be alone. After all there's always somebody worse than you... and God will always take care of business.

 
"I complained that I had no shoes until
I saw one that had no feet."