One day, Jesus was going to Jerusalem but had to pass through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Luke 17:11–19. Samaria is a place of “confusion”; Samaritans are regarded as a mixed, confused and forbidden breed of Jews. Galilee on the other hand means “circle”. It means stagnation and going in circles. By the way, Confusion always leads to Stagnation. This will come in handy much later.
It was in this place of Confusion and Stagnation that Jesus met 10 men who were lepers. Bible says they stood afar off and cried unto Jesus asking Him to have mercy on them. Lepers don’t have the privilege of movement and socialisation like others do: they typically stand off, at the location allocated for their accommodation. If they had to move at all, they had to make clanging sounds that announced their coming, way before they arrived while shouting “unclean” as they approached a crowded place… this is so that they could be effectively avoided. It was literally the most devastating condition anyone could find themselves; not merely because of its debilitating effect on the limbs, but its impact on every other aspect of life. Their Careers, Relationships and Families were put on hold because of this condition. It was the kind of condition that ruined lives.
When Jesus heard their plea, He didn’t do anything dramatic like putting clay on the ground and touching then with it, or asking them to stretch their hands like He did with the man with the withered hands… Jesus simply asks them to do something quite unimpressive but highly instructive; “Go show yourselves to the Priests”.
As a matter of fact, only healed “lepers” needed to show themselves to the Priests, so that they could be certified fit to reengage with society and become like everyone else. This wasn’t casual afterall, Jesus was asking them to participate in their own healing. Moreover, it wasn’t just about the healing from leprosy, as much as it was the healing from all the other dysfunctions in their lives. The entirety of their full recovery was activated by a simple and almost ignorable instruction, like “Go and see the Priests”.
For many of us, it may have been, “join the PowerPoint Tribe”, “take that apartment”, “accept this offer”, “ask to be mentored by this man”, “buy that book” etc. Many of these instructions don’t look impressive, but they are our tickets to progress and accelerated growth. They may be one instruction, but they trigger a ripple effect of miracles in our lives. I’ll never forget the twin instructions God gave me about 5 years ago, after a major disappointment in my life: They were simple and seemingly random yet so powerful and impactful. God asked me to marry my Wife and to follow and serve my Spiritual Father; Pastor Dele Osunmakinde. On these two instructions hang all the expressions in my life today!
So, this simple “Go show yourselves to the Priests” wasn’t a casual instruction afterall, but because of its very unimpressive outlook, many of the lepers… I mean 90% of them took it for granted. To them, it was just another day at the office. Nothing special about joining a Church, meeting a friend or signing up for mentorship. The supernatural sure doesn’t lie in the mundane, they thought. But one of them thought otherwise: While he went to the priests on the instruction of Jesus, he kept checking for signs of his healing. He knew this was no ordinary command. Nothing Jesus ever requested was ordinary. As they all went, they all got healed, but he was the only one who made such a big deal of it and saw it as an opportunity to return to give Thanks. Bible says he shouted even louder!!
Now let’s bring this home:
This year 2022, God has done some incredible things for you. Many of these wonders came off the obedience of very simple instructions that didn’t seem like much at the time. Because of that, you didn’t think it wise to go back to return the glory to God. Our level of spiritual wisdom is measured by how much awe we pack into the very little things God does for us. Things that will probably never seem like much except we see them through the lens of a childlike faith perspective.
The interesting thing about this was that Jesus had an expectation of the ten lepers, but only one returned. Jesus was supposed to be on His way to Jerusalem, but “low key”, he hung around Samaria and Galilee for a bit longer, hoping they’d return to say “Thank You”. Jesus wouldn’t command you to give Him Thanks, but He expects you to need no command before you return to give Him Thanks. He isn’t looking for mere compliance, but a deep level of thoughtfulness in heartfelt gratitude. He got all of them healed, but only the grateful one was made whole. Only that one was truly cured of Confusion and Stagnation. Only that one received the full package of all that was connected to motioning towards the Priests. Not having an attitude of gratitude keeps you in Samaria and Galilee; in Confusion and Stagnation… Only Gratitude truly liberates. Here’s how to break the cycle of stagnation; Thanksgiving. Your “big” unmet expectations may be valid, but what is even more vivid is God’s Faithfulness to you, for which you’re yet to Thank Him.
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. — Luke 17:17-18 KJV
Did you notice that it was the stranger who went back? He alone stayed in awe! The others had a sense of entitlement and that’s why they didn’t return. They maybe even felt that Jesus could have done more than He did. It’s important to realise that as far as Thanksgivings go, the little things are the big things… The Little Big Things!! Never get familiar or blasé with the supernatural, it always comes in small packages.
Have you gone back to thank Him for all the many many little things that led to the many many big things that He has done for you this year? Some marriages may have been broken, had they not attended the Church they do or had the Pastor they do; some people may not have been married at all if not for that friend who invited them for a hang out; some people wouldn’t have a job today if that their friend didn’t see an application and thought they should apply for it. Naman, another Leper, wouldn’t have been healed of his leprosy had he not listened to the “little maid”. These little instructions carry a tremendous weight for miracles! Yet, many people just move on from them like they were light.
Let’s round off this year 2022 on a massive note of Praise! I challenge you to seek out those seemingly little things and begin to Thank God for them like they were the biggest deals in your life. That’s the path to wholeness! That’s the way to break through into 2023!
It’s been an incredible ride this year! We look forward to the even more incredible things He has in store for us in the year 2023.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance.
Have a remarkable 2023 ahead.
God bless your heart.
Dami Oguntunde
@damioguntunde
