Some of us opt for the more traditional roasted turkey with hand-crumbled stuffing while others prefer the nontraditional Greek pita and gyro or Mexican steak salad Thanksgiving route. No matter our tastes, as our friends and families crowd around the table the cacophony of noise grows louder and louder. I’ve been to a couple Thanksgivings where it’s impossible to hear a single voice above the happy ruckus of chatter.
In the Gospel of Luke, I recently reread one story where a single voice was the only sound on this unique Thanksgiving.
In Luke 17, Jesus entered a village while traveling to Jerusalem. Ten men inflicted with leprosy called out to him, “Jesus! Have mercy on us!”
Instead of shirking from the disease-ridden men and running away from the village with his robes flying in the wind, Jesus told the men to go and show themselves to the priests. During this time, any person declared unclean could become clean again if the priests saw the disease or illness healed. By turning to go and show themselves to the priests, the ten men would be denying the reality of the illness they knew to be true in hope of a healing they hadn’t yet seen.
Verse fourteen tells us that as the men turned and trekked to the priests, they were healed. One of the ten men turned back as he saw his leprosy vanish. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet, giving thanks and glorifying God with a loud voice. I wouldn’t be surprise if he danced and shouted in gratified glee.
This Thanksgiving, let God hear your voice of thanks.
Happy Thanksgiving!
What’s drowning out your voice this time of year?
*Photo courtesy of here
