Got Appreciation?

The Bible says, “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. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke 17:11-19 (KJV)

It may be that praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value to its scarcity, as Samuel Johnson said, but most of us would prefer to err on the side of giving too much praise than too little. One who would agree was the wife of an old Vermonter named Eb.

Old Eb was, like many of his breed, rather stingy with words. He said very little, and then rather grudgingly. One evening he was sitting on the front steps with his wife. The long day’s work, the good supper, and the peaceful sights and sounds of dusk must have softened him up. He took his pipe out of his mouth and said, “When I think of what you’ve meant to me all these years, Judith, sometimes it’s almost more than I can stand not to tell you.”

How precious is your salvation? Have you grown cold in your appreciation of what Christ Jesus has done for you? Have you thought of how precious your loved ones are to you? Have been convicted of how much they desperately need to come to know Jesus and His free gift of eternal life? Will you determine this day to tell them again their need? Do you really appreciate what Christ has done for you?

 
         Daily Chronological Bible Reading: Luke 17:11-37; Luke 18:1-14