Be The One

What does it truly mean to live a life of gratitude? This powerful message takes us into the heart of Luke 17, where Jesus encounters ten desperate men suffering from leprosy—a disease that meant not just physical suffering, but complete social death and separation from everything they loved. All ten cried out for mercy, all ten were miraculously healed as they walked in faith toward the priests, yet only one—a despised Samaritan—returned to fall at Jesus' feet in extravagant worship and thanksgiving. This profound account challenges us to examine our own hearts: Are we among the nine who receive God's blessings and then forget Him, or are we the one who returns with grateful praise? The message reminds us that thanksgiving isn't just for a holiday—it's meant to be a lifestyle for every believer. We're called to recognize that without Christ, we can do nothing; that in Him we live and move and have our very being. The comparison between leprosy and sin is striking: both separate us from community and from God, both can be deadly, both make us unclean. Yet Jesus stands ready to cleanse us completely. This Christmas season offers countless opportunities to be 'the one'—the one who shares their testimony, who takes advantage of every moment to point others to Christ, who lives with extravagant gratitude because we know what we've been saved from. The question echoes through the centuries and into our hearts today: Will you be the one?