[Darris McNeely] The ability to say, "Thank you," is a very important character trait that every one of us must have, should have. And we should check ourselves on a regular basis to make sure that we are grateful to God, to each other, to those who do good things, kind things to us. Say "Thank you." Have an attitude of gratitude. And this is not just some trivial approach, it really enhances your life. It enhances the quality of relationships that we have.

Christ spoke a parable about it that I have long known about, you have as well, about this attitude of being grateful, saying "Thank you." It happened it says in Luke 17:11, "That as Christ went to Jerusalem, He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee," the regions to the north of Jerusalem, He was coming south. "He entered a certain village, and there He met 10 men who were lepers who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us'." Leprosy was the scourge of the ancient world, there was no cure for it, very contagious, and those who had it had to be ostracized from the community, and they were begging Christ, "Have mercy on us."

When He saw them, He said to them, "Go show yourselves to the priest." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed before they even got to the priest, it seems. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice, glorified God and fell down on his face at his feet, at Christ's feet, giving Him things. And this man was a Samaritan, those who were looked upon as, kind of, inferior by the rest of the Jews at that time. And this was the one who turned back and said, "Thank you," to Christ, he gave him thanks. And in verse 17, Jesus answered and said, "Were there not 10 cleansed, but where are the 9?" The other 9 went on their way. Maybe they went on to the priest, maybe they thought they had to fulfill everything. We're just not told, but only one came back and said, "Thank You." He said, "Were they not found, who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner." And he said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you whole."

And so 1 out of 10, 10%, turned back and said, "Thank You," That's fine, what's the lesson for us? Be grateful. Have a spirit that recognizes when someone has done something well, good, a good job, either for us or for someone else, in the office, in the school, in your church, or your community, someone who has helped you, be sure that you say, "Thank you," and show an appreciation and gratitude. It's a Godly trait. It is what Christ called out, and one who was looked down upon by the rest of the community, the Jewish community of the time, say "Thank you." It's a good spirit. It's a good attitude to have.

That's "BT Daily." Join us next time.