A few years ago I had in interesting 'Thank you' situation. As I pondered on it, because it really bothered me, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to Jesus' experience in Luke 17:11-19; let's read:
11 While Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing [along the border] between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance; 13 and they raised their voices and called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were [miraculously] healed and made clean. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying and praising and honoring God with a loud voice; 16 and he lay face downward at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. He was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten [of you] cleansed? Where are the [other] nine? 18 Was there no one found to return and to give thanks and praise to God, except this foreigner?” 19 Jesus said to him, “Get up and go [on your way]. Your faith [your personal trust in Me and your confidence in God’s power] has restored you to health.” (AMP)
He then went on to expound this saying that when it comes to giving God (and men) thanks, we all fall into one of three categories:
- Went
- Sent
- Kept
Some of us, take the time and effort to "go" directly to God to express our gratitude and appreciation. When it's a human being, we want to thank, that person hears our voice - either face to face, via a call or even a voice message. These are in the 'Went' category.
The 2nd category are those of us who use an indirect medium to express our thanks without expressing it ourselves. As an example, asking someone to thank God or a person on your behalf without having direct contact with the Him or the person i.e. without reaching out to God or the person ourselves. For me, depending on the depth of the relationship, text messages fall into this 'Sent' category (pun intended).
The 3rd category is the 'Kept.' Essentially, we fall into this group when we do not even bother to say 'Thank You.' These people keep the thanks to themselves.
As I meditated on this, it occurred to me that the word that represented each category was further in the alphabet; almost as if it was commensurate to the level of effort required at each one: K ->S ->W.
At the end, all I could do was ask God to forgive me for when I have 'sent', or even worse 'kept', my thanks to Him or to others. I pray for grace to be in the 'Went' category more often than not.
Note: I recognize that sometimes the line between the 'Went' and the 'Sent' categories are blurred. However, I know that we know when they are not the same. Whatever happens, don't be or stay in the 'Kept' category.
May you and always have multiple reasons to say 'Thank you' to God and others.
Happy Thanksgiving...may it not just be a day in your life, rather a way of life.
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