Unexpected Thanks

One of the first lessons a parent will teach their child is to say "Please" and "Thank you." It's a core cultural norm and good etiquette. "Thank you" acknowledges the action, thought, or gift. It also shows appreciation for the gift and the giver. 

Scripture speaks of saying "Thank you" in several verses:

• "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good

his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1

In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus told a parable about 10 lepers that were healed. He asked them to go to the priest to allow him to declare them clean. He was surprised when only one of the men returned to him saying "Thank you." And on top of it all, the man who returned gratefully was a Samaritan, an enemy of the Jews. 

See the contrast Jesus highlights in this story? Not only did those we expected to be thankful not return, but the one we did NOT expect to return did come back, "praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan."

This past year of 2020 gave us little to be thankful for, yet as Christians, we can still find reasons to be grateful. As you approach the Thanksgiving holiday, keep in mind all the blessings you have from salvation in Jesus Christ to the promise of eternal life with the Father. 

Truth under Fire

The concept of truth has become under attach in recent years. It used to be entertaining when you would watch a sitcom where the whole premise was to spend the half hour covering up a lie. It was comical and harmless. How times have changed. We no longer endure dishonesty in sitcoms alone but we've come to accept lies in real life - from friends, family, and even from our leaders. 

It's a sad narrative that when a politician speaks, it has become necessary to "fact-check" his words simply because it has become so common that half-truths or even un-truths are spoken without blinking. 

Growing up we read stories like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," "Goerge Washington and the Cherry Tree," and the Pied Piper of Hamelin" training us in the value of speaking the truth. We watched movies like "Pinocchio" that showed us the consequences of lying. "The Emporor has No Clothes" is classic literature about how much more noble a child is in being honest veses an entire town who cloak the truth. 

Truth is the backbone of society. Without truth, anyone's opinion can be passed off as truth. Truth is important to community. Truth is vital to family. When the truth is washed away, lines are blurred. Guard rails are broken down. 

Did you ever get in trouble for doing something when you were a kid? You knew you were guilty. Your parents knew it. And then they ask for a confession. And remember what they said? "I would rather you tell me the truth than lie about what you did" They also said, "Your punishment will be greater if you lie to me than if you just own up to what you did." Why did they say that? Because they wanted to teach you how valuable telling the truth is. They wanted honesty to be part of your character. Of course this character comes straight out of the person of Jesus. 

Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." Understanding that Jesus is the way to God and the giver of eternal life makes sense. But what does it mean that "Jesus is the truth?" How can a person BE a principle? This metaphor takes some work to wrap our brains around. When Jesus says He is the truth, he is saying:  My words are truth. My works are truth. My plans are truth. My motives are truth. Everything about Jesus is truth. There is no deceitfulness, deception, or lies connected with Him. Jesus can be fully trusted. 

Where does that leave us today? Still striving for truth. Defending the truth. Sharing the truth. And may this be our prayer from Solomon in Proverbs 30:8. "Keep falsehood and lies far from me."