James MacDonald - With a Thankful Attitude
Summary:
From the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17, where only one—a Samaritan—returned to thank Jesus after being healed, the preacher emphasizes that gratitude is a deliberate choice of attitude, not dependent on circumstances. While all ten were physically cleansed, only the thankful one received deeper spiritual wholeness («your faith has made you well»). Ungratefulness leads to a downward spiral (as in Romans 1), while thankfulness fuels faith, elevates life, and brings blessings. Secular studies confirm that grateful, faith-filled people experience less stress, better health, faster recovery, lower depression, and longer life. The key refrain: «Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living"—choosing thankfulness lifts us above complaints into a soaring, blessed life.
The Ten Lepers Story
So just imagine this: you’re hanging out with your bros and you’re hanging out with your sisters. Yeah, I just had a little fun lunch. Do you do that thing that my wife does? Do you go have lunch with a bunch of ladies and just talk each other’s faces off? Do you do that and have more fun than is even really acceptable? Do you do that? Yeah, I believe it. So, whether they were in this instance, it seems like they were males, but in any event, it was this group of people who loved being together, and they were walking along. They asked Jesus, «Do you go see the priests?»
«Well, alright, I’ll go see the priest then.» And all of a sudden, they’re like, «We need a sound effect here» or something, so hang on. They’re just walking along, and then all of a sudden—now what’s remarkable about this is, if you know the dark cloud is a verdict, they had leprosy. They had a verdict of death. Think of certain diseases that a person can get test results from; it’s just like a death sentence apart from a miracle. This is how it’s going to end. I’ve been in too many of those situations where people get them done. Sometimes God heals people; I’ve seen it happen. And sometimes He doesn’t. But these guys believed they were under a death sentence—not going to see my kids grow up; I’m never going to get to do some of the things; I’m never going to walk my daughter down the aisle. Whatever they were dreaming about wasn’t going to happen for them because they had leprosy, and they were isolated from their families.
They found Jesus and called out in their desperation, and He sent them on a mission. All of a sudden, while they’re walking—which, by the way, is a great picture of how miracles happen—they had to ask, then they had to go in faith. Alright? Then the miracle happened.
See, a lot of people who are sitting around waiting for their miracle—like I’m down in my basement here, waiting for my miracle—like to joke about the single gals. You know, «I’m not on social media, and I don’t have any friends, and I never go to any parties, and I’m just down in my basement waiting for God to send my husband down to find me there.» You might want to circulate a little bit, right? So prayer is good, amen? And then do what you’ve been asked to do by faith, then the miracle comes. I see that principle in the Bible over and over and over.
Attitude Is a Choice
So, attitude is everything. Everyone needs the Lord; only a few thank Him personally. Clearly, that’s the thing in the text that’s absolutely remarkable. Then, one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving Him thanks. So you get the point that’s made: you choose your attitude. If you are thankful, it’s because you have chosen to be thankful. And if you are ungrateful and complaining, it’s because you have chosen to be ungrateful and complaining.
Now, no one wants to hear that. Everyone wants to believe, «I have good reason for my bad attitude; let me tell you what’s happened to me.» I would just say to that, «I don’t know, » and thank the Lord for growing my pastor’s heart because I don’t think I would have known ten years ago to say, «Alright, your complaining is understandable. I understand why it’s hard for you not to complain.» Could I just, ever so gently—imagining my arm around your shoulder—say to you that just because it’s understandable doesn’t mean that it’s excusable? There are people who have been through things as bad as what you and I have been through, and they have better attitudes than we do. That’s because they’ve been making better choices than we have.
Ten people had leprosy, ten people got healed; nine people made the wrong choice, and one person made the right choice. Furthermore, notice the end of the verse, verse 16. What’s the last phrase? Five words: «Now he was—say it—he was a Samaritan.» Clearly, they weren’t all Samaritans, or it would say that; he was put in a class by himself. It seems as though there were some of both Jews and Samaritans, but the point that’s remarkable to Jesus, the point the Holy Spirit brings out through Luke, is the one. Listen. The one with the least reason to return, the one with the most understandable reason to not be thankful, is the one who was thankful.
If a couple of those Jewish guys could have said, «Come back to Jesus, man. You’re our brother and you’re our countryman and we always felt close to you, and now we feel closer.» Then he could have said, «Yeah, but that isn’t fair; I never came back.» You would have been like, «Well, you know, that’s harder for him, ” and I’m sure he was uncomfortable. But that isn’t what happened. What the text is showing us, what the story reveals, what God is sovereignly unfolding for us, is that the one with the most reason to run returned to express thankfulness.
Now, let’s get that out of the New Testament and over to your house and mine. The one with the greatest reason for a complaining attitude is the one who chose to be thankful. Even though it isn’t fun to look at people you care about and tell them, „You know, it’s kind of on you, not because of what happened to you. Your attitude might be awful because of the way you’re choosing to deal with it.“ Do you see? Even though that’s not fun to say to people, I’d rather love to blame it on something—honestly, I’d love it if that were what was true. But do you see how once you really own the fact that it’s a choice you’re making, hope shows up right then?
„Well, if it’s a choice I’m making, then I don’t have to live over here in the wilderness. I don’t have to be this complaining person all the time. These are my circumstances that put me in this box; I can actually choose.“ We’re going to talk about that for the rest of the message. I can actually choose to be a different person by choosing a thankful attitude. It isn’t dependent on my circumstances. They might make it understandable, but they don’t make it excusable. So I’m going to own my attitude choices and try to make some better ones.
Jesus Notices Gratitude
Only a fraction of the human population ever truly thanks God personally. Only a fraction of the human population ever truly lives a life of gratitude.
And because only a few thank Him personally, one in ten is the statistic here. Notice this: then Jesus answered, „Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?“ Now we have to add to our understanding that He notices this. You know, how many people would say, „The Lord’s pretty busy, right? He’s got a lot going on. Good thing He’s infinite, right? So He’s not stressed; He’s not taxed in any way.“ But you wouldn’t think that He’d be so attentive to little things. I can tell you in our church, there’s like a whole racket among our staff about the things they don’t tell me. You know it’s true; there are things they don’t hear, „We don’t have to bother him with that.“
And think of our Lord. It’s just so interesting that He was so aware. I think tonight as He looks across this room filled with sincere people, He knows whether we’re grateful or not—every one of us. Jesus answered, „Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?“ That’s not how you might hear that, you know, the foreigner. It’s not like that; He’s making the distinction again. The person who had the most reason to run home came back and said thanks.
Thankfulness Leads to Full Wholeness
So here’s the last thing, and then we’re going to work on gratitude: only a few, because only a few thank Him personally, only a few experience His power fully. Notice when Jesus said, „Your faith has made you well.“ It’s quite an interesting thing; you might want to underline that in your Bible: „Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.“ Now, why is that a curious phrase? Come on, Bible study students. Why is that a strange thing for Him to say? „Your faith has made you well.“ Why, Doc? Why?
Yeah, He had already been healed! Who says that to somebody? Doctor, would you say that to somebody if you had a patient in your office? They came to you, and through the service and the ministry and the prayer and the medication or surgery you gave them, the next time you saw them, they were well? Like, „Wow, we’re good!“ Right? Yeah, we’re all good. And then after that, would you say to them, „Your faith has made you well“? Well, that’s just such a peculiar thing to say. „When I was already well before I came in, thank you! Didn’t you remember? You healed us all.“
Well, clearly He’s not talking about being well physically; He’s saying, „You got something nine people didn’t get.“ Nine people got healed physically; who knows where they ended up in eternity, but one chose thankfulness, and he got well spiritually. Nine got well for a while; one got well forever. Nine got healed physically; one got healed physically and spiritually because of his faith. What’s interesting is that thankfulness leads to greater faith.
So you’re going to need a verse to back that up. I have a lot of verses to back that up, and I’m glad that you asked. That’s not a problem; you should want to see it in the Scriptures. For example, keep your finger there and just turn really quick to Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1 says that the cascade of ungodliness flows from ungratefulness. Make a note of that: the cascade of downward spiraling ungodliness begins with ungratefulness. Romans 1:18 says that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who, by their unrighteousness, suppress the truth.
For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. What do you mean? Here’s what I mean: His invisible attributes—what, His eternal power, His divine nature—have been clearly perceived since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse. The point being that mountains and seas and that blood moon Sunday night and the glory of thinking of the Sun, the earth, and the moon and the effect of all of that—and all of the planets and stars spinning in a galactic choreography that staggers the mind—all of it is shouting, „There’s a God who made all this.“
But Romans 1 says the reason why everybody doesn’t jump on that is that—do you see it there? —they suppress the truth in unrighteousness. For what can be known about God is plain to them; it’s shown to them. His invisible attributes are clearly perceived since the creation of the world in the things that have been made; they are without excuse. Why would people do that? Why would they suppress the obvious message of the reality of God? Here it comes: although they knew God, the fool has said in his heart, „There is no God.“ Everyone has in their heart a sense that there’s something greater than themselves. They didn’t honor Him as God or, what does it say next? Or give thanks. That’s where it went south, right there.
The universe was shouting, „There’s a God, ” and they’re like, „I’m not looking up and I’m not thankful.“ The beginning of the cascading spiral downward into sin begins with ungratefulness. If the step down begins with the refusal to give thanks, let me just say that the walk of faith begins with thankfulness: „There’s a God; I must owe something to Him. I wonder how I could know Him or come into a relationship with Him.“ It’s just such a fantastic concept.
Gratitude Sets the Altitude
So, back to Luke 17: „Rise and go your way. Luke 17:19: your faith has made you well.“ Now we’re going to work on this thankfulness for the moments that remain. Jot this down; I love this sentence. If someone else said this before me, I just want to give credit to them, but I don’t know who it is. It’s a good sentence: „Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living.“
And I want to show you a place that I hope from now on will be marked in your Bible. This is the last passage you have to turn to, so go to the middle of your Bible, to the Psalms, which is really a songbook of gratitude to God. Look at this verse: Psalm 107, verse 8: „Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love and for His wondrous works to the children of men.“
And then Psalm 107, verse 15: „Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love and for His wondrous works to the children of men.“ And then verse 21: „Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love and for His wondrous works to the children of men.“ That’s three people, but we’re not done. 31: „Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love and for His wondrous works to the children of men.“ Now, I don’t know what translation you have, but the translation that I memorized says, „Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His wonderful works to the children of men.“
Isn’t that an awesome thing? Just think about the world we live in. Think about the country we live in. Think about the good things that God has done for you, and hear the plea of the psalmist: „Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His wonderful works to the children of men.“
True Gratitude Defined
And thanks, of course, does not mean perfunctory thanks. Did your parents do that to you? „Say thanks!“ So you said thanks. It never happened that you give a little kid a brownie and, before he’s got a bite out of it, his parents give him an elbow in his shoulder: „Say thanks!“ So you grew up and your thanks is like, „Thanks!“ You know anybody does anything, and you’re like, „Oh, thanks! Thanks! Did I say it? Did I say it?“
And everybody’s got this ejector button, thanks thing that doesn’t necessarily speak to gratitude. As parents, we’re horrified by the thought that someone would show kindness to one of our children, and they wouldn’t return an expression of gratitude. No, gratitude is, if you like to jot down little definitions, to show that a kindness received is valued.
Benefits of Gratitude (Studies)
And I could just tell you, I did a good little bit of research into this, and let me just read some of this to you. Regarding stress, in a Northern California study on stress, nearly 7,000 Californians showed that West Coast worshipers who participated in church-sponsored activities are markedly less stressed over finances, attitude, and other daily concerns than non-spiritual, non-thankful types.
Regarding blood pressure, elderly folks in a Duke University study on those who attend church, pray, and read the Bible regularly, give thanks to God, of course, had lower blood pressure than their non-practicing peers—across the board. Regarding recovery from surgery, a second Duke University study looked at patients of faith recovering from surgery. People who have faith and trust and thankfulness toward God spend an average of 11 days in the hospital after surgery. Meanwhile, patients who have no faith in their life at all spend an average of 25 days in the hospital recovering from surgery.
These are just secular studies, and I’m not even talking about the kind of faith that you have. Regarding personal lifestyle, a recent review of several studies suggests that spirituality, including thankfulness, is linked with low suicide rates, less alcohol and drug abuse, less criminal behavior, fewer divorces, and higher marital satisfaction when life is filled with regular thankfulness to God.
Now that makes sense, right? Because if we believe Jesus sends, „Choose to suffer, ” then we mean, „Choose to obey, choose to be blessed.“ Like it says in Deuteronomy 30: „See, I’ve set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life that you may live.“ The things that God commends to us, He commends to us for our health, for our blessing, and for our abundance.
Regarding depression, I find this very interesting: women with believing mothers are 60% less likely to be depressed ten years after they leave their home, according to a Columbia University study. Daughters belonging to the same religious faith as their mothers are 71% less likely to suffer from the blues. Sons are 84% less likely to have a life crisis if they belong to the same faith group as their mothers. Interesting.
Regarding mortality, research on more than 1,900 older adults—and the older adults here, you needn’t raise your hand. I am with you. 1,900 older adults indicated that those who attend church regularly have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. You don’t die soon. Are those studies incredible? Even people who don’t believe in God are recognizing the powerful health benefits of a life of gratitude.
The word gratitude is defined in the Oxford Dictionary this way: I gave it to you once—to show that a kindness received is valued. And you know, I just don’t know how to say it any clearer than gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living. There is a life that grapples and slums and flies under the radar, down and dirty, dark and depressing, ungrateful, unthankful, complaining, negative, murmuring—there’s a life like that. There is a life that soars above disappointments where the air is clean and the sun is shining, and the future is as bright as the promises of God.
Talk to the person low flying; they will have a hundred reasons why they have to be down there. And with compassion, we will say, „I understand your struggle, but you will be there until you embrace the fact that you choose your attitude.“ Choosing the complaining wilderness attitude is actually keeping you where you say you hate being.