They could now be reunited with their families. For those who had no family they could now be married and raise a family of their own. Employment which had been non-existent or very meager at best, was now a very real possibility. It is likely that some would go on to financial stability with all that comes with that reality. The future looked much brighter for these ten men. Life was good again. What a change from their recent past! For you see these ten had been desperately ill, they had been lepers. Leprosy, that dreadful and debilitating disease, had isolated them from family and friends. Leprosy had rendered them unemployable.
Ninety percent of them never returned to Jesus to say “thank you!” It almost seemed that life was now too full of possibilities to remember to be grateful to God.
Then along came Jesus (Luke 17:11-17). As Jesus entered their village, the lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” The long and short of it is that Jesus worked a miracle of healing. All ten lepers were physically restored by God. Life could begin again for these disenfranchised beggars. Yet there is a serious problem of neglect! Ninety percent of them never returned to Jesus to say “thank you!” It almost seemed that life was now too full of possibilities to remember to be grateful to God. The question of Jesus is telling, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?”
Yes, there was one who did not forget to fall at Jesus’ feet to say “thank you.” One healed leper returned with gratitude. The one who was least expected to return, did so! He alone acknowledged the source of his new lease on life. What about us? Let us often and ever express gratitude to God for His many benefits that come our way.