As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He stopped at a village in between Samaria and Galilee and found a colony of 10 lepers crying for deliverance from their terrible disease. “Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him” ().

‘Thank you’—too small words that aren’t very hard to type. But for some reason, they’re difficult to say. Yet Jesus was so impressed by this Samaritan’s willingness to come back and express His gratitude that He responded to him, “stand up and go; your faith has made you well” ().

It is easy to understand His concern over ingratitude. If you don’t say thank you to the people you see everyday, you probably won’t give thanks to God. And if you don’t have time to express gratitude for your food, what makes you think you will have time to be grateful for Jesus and for salvation? We would do well to remember that thanksgiving is thanks-living.

Jesus’ statement to His loyal slave, “well done, good and faithful servant” is just another way of saying, “thank you for the way that you lived your life.” Suddenly, these two small words have become eternally important. So say them.