Adult Object Lesson: Luke 17:11-19

thankyouThe Value of Saying Thanks

Today’s Gospel is Luke’s account of Jesus’ Curing of Ten Lepers. All are made clean. Nine go on their way rejoicing. Only one (and a Samaritan at that) returns to thank Jesus for changing his life.

Today’s object is a Thank You card.

You can hold an actual Thank You card in your hand. You might even read the actual words.

Or you could create a giant Thank You card on a flip chart as you talk.

Writing Thank You cards is one of the first skills we teach our children. Often, it is one of the first skills forgotten as we reach an age of independence.

One habit of successful business people is writing Thank You notes. Some even have custom cards printed, sitting on their desks so that “the work” of finding and writing cards doesn’t stand in the way.

Giving thanks restores something inside of us. It unites us to community. You might make the point that only one of the lepers was truly 100% healed!

Examine with your adults (or children) the reasons why they might fail to show appreciation for a gift or action.

  • We might feel entitled.
    I’m the mother. I carried you for nine months. I deserve a nice gift.
    OR
    I don’t have to thank my Mom. She’s my mother.
  • We might feel the cost of thanking someone via mail negates the value of the gift.
    She gave me a $20 gift certificate. If I buy a card and mail it, that’s 20% of the value of the gift.
  • We may feel that the time it takes to thank someone doesn’t fit into our schedules.
    They know I’m grateful. I don’t have to go out of my way.
  • The feeling of superiority or equity might stop us.
    After all I’ve done for them, I rate a box of candy.
    I invited their family to dinner five times. It’s high time I get a return invitation.
  • We really do forget!

So those are reasons we offer to justify ingratitude. We, like the nine happy lepers, can go on our way using any of these reasons.

But what made the Samaritan leper return to smother Jesus with words and gestures of appreciation?

Let your congregation answer this question and write their words of thanks on the chart.
They might include:

  • Love for the donor.
  • Fear of the donor. (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.—from today’s psalm—Psalm 111) (Did the Samaritan realize that if Jesus had the power to heal he might also have the power to destroy?
  • Words of gratitude might be an insurance policy of sorts. Keep the gifts coming!
  • But there is always the possibility that the beneficiaries of kindness are just plain thrilled that someone notices and cares that we walk this earth even as unclean outsiders.

When people see their thoughts in writing, their words carry more weight. As you finish today’s object lesson, have the congregation read their giant Thank You card out loud and together.

If you really want the message to hit home, put a thank you card in the mail tomorrow to each member of your congregation. (Not difficult for small churches!). Be specific in thanking them for their contributions to your church community.

Thanks is often a two-way street! We feel good when we are thanked for even the littlest thing. Imagine how God might feel having sacrificed his Son.

EXTRA

If you blog about your lesson—you do blog, don’t you?—here is a link to share with your congregation to reinforce the discussion on giving thanks. It’s just for fun. People learn when they are having fun!

http://social.razoo.com/2012/07/22-delightful-ways-to-say-thank-you/

photo credit: the Italian voice via photopin cc