THE ONE TENTH COMPANY

“In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

When Jesus came into a village between Galilee and Samaria, he met ten people with leprosy. They stood at a distance, as all lepers had to do, and cried out to Jesus to have mercy on them. Of course, Jesus responded with compassion and said to them: “Go and show yourselves to the priests and as they went they were healed!” How amazing this must have been—to suddenly look down and see all their leprosy disappearing.

But what is even more amazing is that only one bothered to return to Jesus and thank Him. When this man saw that he was healed, he “turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God and fell down on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.” But then Jesus asked: “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” Read the whole story in Luke 17:11-19.

I wonder how often Jesus still asks this question today? “Where are the nine? This story has always challenged me. I certainly don’t want to belong to the nine tenths company, do you?

It’s important to regularly check that we belong to the right company. Do we belong to this company who are constantly grateful and thankful for all God’s goodness to us? Not just the big things, but even the little things? Or do we belong to the nine tenths company who take all the blessings and forget to thank Him?

Let’s cultivate being thankful—thankful for the provision of a home, for our husbands, for the children God has given us, and for all the little things that happen all around us every moment of the day, especially if we look for them.

I love to make it my habit to thank my Savior, Jesus Christ, every day, for His great salvation and for the sacrifice He made to leave the glory of eternity to come to this world to die for me. How can I ever thank Him enough? I don’t want to miss one day. Every sacrifice on the altar in the Old Testament looked toward Calvary, when Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, took away the sins of the world. There is no longer any need for sacrifices to be made, but now I love to look back to Calvary and never be guilty of unthankfulness for my great redemption.

Let’s also cultivate this habit in our children too. Encourage a lifestyle of thankfulness. Never forgetting to say “Yes, thank you” and “No, thank you.” Do they thank you for cooking your meal each night? That’s a good habit for them too, especially as sons grow up to be husbands. My husband reminds everyone each evening to thank me for preparing the meal.

Are you teaching your children to be grateful when you, or their siblings or anyone else, does some little thing for them and to immediately respond with thanks? Are you creating a lifestyle of thankfulness in your home?

Colossians 2:6, 7 says: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith . . . abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Most versions of the Bible translate this Scripture “overflowing in thankfulness (or gratitude).” The word abounding in the Greek is perisseuo. It literally means “superabounding, excessively, abundantly, enough and to spare, over and above.” It’s a word that means far above the normal. Over the top. Are you an “over the top” family in thankfulness?

I wonder how many times you say Thank You throughout the day. Is your home filled with each one thanking one another?

If course, not everything is always going to be going our way. Everyone of us face challenging and difficult times. Do we still keep thanking. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tell us: “In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Do you want to e in the will of God? Then we must thank God in every circumstance.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, You are worthy of my thanks. Help me to be a thankful person and to teach my famiily to be thankful. May it become the habit of our lives and please save us from being a family that belongs to the “nine tenths company.” Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I now belong to the one-tenth company who daily overflow with thankfulness!