I was reading in Luke 17, "And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger."
Now consider this. While God was fully man, He was still fully God as well, so He knew ahead of time what the 9 would do. To human reasoning (if we could've known their reaction ahead of time and had power to heal) we would think their ingratitude so ridiculous that we most likely wouldn't even heal them at all. In this hypothetical, personally and to my shame, I think my thoughts would be, "If you can't even say thanks, then I don't need to heal you either." True agape love is the reason here. What love for mankind Jesus had! Can you imagine how He feels when we claim His name (as Christians) and then deprive men of some need merely because of the way they treat us? Truthfully, we cannot in our own frame and finite strength love men with such love -- not without another source flowing through us. That source is Christ Himself. When we're thankful in our hearts for all He's done for us, and when we're earnestly striving to please Him, this love will be possible. Think of the lives you can touch when you let Christ's love flow through you? Think of the consequences when you don't.
As I thought on this, a previous chapter I had read suddenly popped to mind. In chapter 10;
"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."
I dare say most of us are breaking the Ten Commandments on a regular basis. If we're to love our neighbor as ourselves, and people as the one the Samaritan helped are our neighbors, then how do we measure up? Are we the Levite or priest that passed by?
Jesus said over and over again throughout the Gospels that we are to help those who cannot help us in return. If we only give to those of whom we hope to receive, then Christ says we're no better than publicans and sinners. Often we are much more eager to receive the blessings of men rather than of God. Which do you think is better? Luke 14:14 says, " And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."
God's blessing far exceeds any reward or thanks that mankind could offer.
Remember, God's love flowing through us is a well that never runs dry. Our own feeble affection cannot measure up, and we will quickly grow weary if we depend on it to see us through. This Christmas let a deeper meaning of "goodwill and peace to men" sink into our hearts.
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