Learning Lessons From A Leper

You know, I think a direct result of changing our perspective and noticing the blessings God has given us is vocalizing our thanks to Him. When I truly realize what God has saved me from, how can I not say thank you? When I truly realize what God done for me, how can I not offer praise? When I really take the time to notice the things He’s blessed me with: my heritage, my wife and daughter, my church family, the opportunity to preach the Gospel, the financial blessings, the friends whose company and companionship I enjoy, the lessons I’ve learned, my health, my home, my freedom, my redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. When I truly take the time to notice those things, how can I be anything but grateful? And how can I not respond by offering my praise and my gratitude to God for those blessings.

I don’t want to be like the lady in the parking lot. I don’t want to blow off answers to prayer. I don’t want neglect to praise. I want to be like that cleansed leper who realized what God had blessed him with and made the decision to go back and vocalize my gratitude. I too want to glorify the Lord with my lips. I too want to bow at His feet and offer my praise. I too want to lift up my voice in thanksgiving. Because I have so much to be thankful for.

I feel like Andre Crouch who wrote the words, “How can I say thanks for all the things that You’ve done for me? Things so undeserved Yet you gave to prove Your love to me. And the voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be I owe it all to Thee. To God be the Glory For the things He has done. And with His blood He has saved me And with His power He has raised me. To God be the Glory For the things He has done.”

I want to be like that cleansed leper, don’t you? I don’t want to be guilty of neglecting to vocalize my praise. I don’t want to be someone who is quick to make a request but slow to offer a thanksgiving. I want to be someone who takes every opportunity I have to give my praises to God. I want to be someone who gives Him glory every chance I get. I want to be someone who throws myself at His feet in thanksgiving more and more and more. I want to be someone who pays tribute for God’s blessings to me.

III. God Will Begin Adding To Our Blessings

Lesson #3: Lastly, I believe that this leper’s story teaches us that if we will begin to take notice of our blessings and if we will begin to pay tribute for our blessings God will begin to add to our blessings. For you notice that Jesus said something to this Samaritan man that He did not say to the other nine. In verse 19 He says, “Go your way, your faith has made you well.”

Now, did this mean that the other nine lepers really weren’t cleansed? No, the Bible already told us that because of their faith and their obedience that had been cleansed. Was Jesus just offering a compliment to this lone man of gratitude? No, I don’t think so. I believe that Jesus was giving this man a far deeper blessing than the other nine had received. For while they all had been cleansed physically, I believe this man went away spiritually cleansed as well.