Deuteronomy 8:7-18; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15; Luke 17:11-19
Our scriptures today are about giving thanks in several
settings. They remind us of the longstanding promises of God to provide for us
and our thankful response to such benevolence.
… As the people prepared to enter the land promised to them
long ago, Moses reminds them that this land and its produce is given to them by
God. They are to remember often to thank God for this gift. 
In Second Corinthians, Paul has been collecting offerings
to support the church in Jerusalem. The believers there have been suffering from
persecutions already, only 20 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The Jews are unhappy with them, the Romans are unhappy with them, and life has
become hard. Paul has asked all the churches established by then to contribute
to a fund he will carry himself to Jerusalem.
Paul makes it clear that he is not demanding they
contribute, because some of these Corinthian believers are also experiencing
persecutions. But just like the clients of Bethel New Life, there are folks who
have less than they have. And in the same way that Moses shared God’s promises
to the Israelites, these Corinthians will discover abundance when they give.
… The familiar story of Jesus healing the lepers makes us cringe a bit. We want to understand why ten were healed, and only one turned around to say thank you. It’s easy to ridicule, to blame, to shame the nine.
We need to understand the religious and political conditions
of the time. Jewish people who have leprosy have been trained since birth that
the priest and the rabbi holds the power over their lives. It is the priest who
judges if the skin is clean or still contagious. It is the priest who will give
them permission to return to their family and community. But, it sure seems to
us that they should have at least nodded a thanks to Jesus for the healing
before heading off to see the priest.
So, we need to offer them some grace. We look back 2,000
years and know who Jesus is. In that time, the cross hadn’t happened, the
resurrection hadn’t happened. Jesus was just some preacher, teacher, healer
among several others of the era. They didn’t owe him any special honor.
The Samaritan, on the other hand, does not feel compelled
to see the priest of a religion that is not his own. He does turn around and
say thank you before returning to his own family and community, and perhaps his
own priest. … This doesn’t mean we don’t think the nine should have been polite
and said thank you, too.
… 
I know people who claim that what they have, their nice
houses, their fashionable clothing, the latest technology, they have it all because
of their own hard work. God plays no role in their lives, as the creator, as
the giver of this abundance. They might give to a worthy cause occasionally,
but mostly, they keep what they receive for their own uses.
And I know other people who claim that everything they have,
their houses, their clothing, their technology, they have it all because of God’s
abundance. They work hard to tithe, giving 10% to the church and making additional
gifts to other causes.
Are their lives better either way? I can’t really say, but
I can share my own experiences. For a long time, back when I was a young mom, I
wanted to give more than a couple dollars a week to my congregation, but that
was what it seemed the budget allowed.
I was especially influenced by an experience at Bethel New
Life Church on Chicago’s West Side. All the clients were urged to tithe. And I
was told by the clients themselves that they did so happily because there was
always someone who had less than they had.
I promised myself while I was at seminary that when I was
out of school that I would begin tithing. I have kept that promise to myself. Mike
and I support several congregations and give often to Lutheran World Relief and
Lutheran Disaster Response and occasionally to other causes. I can only say
that it feels good to give to others some of what God has given me. And I thank
God that I can be so generous.
… This week, we as a nation pause to say thank you. We remember
our history, how 400 years ago Europeans landed on the shores of this continent
and were met by indigenous peoples up and down the east coast. We know that in
some cases, the Europeans were killed, but in others they were welcomed and
taught how to survive in this foreign-to-them place. We remember the
hospitality offered at shared meals and the thanks they all gave for successful
harvests.
It is good for us to remember that God is the original
source of all our abundance and to remember to say thanks for everything. This
week I hope you take some time to give God thanks for all the good things in
your life. Think about the big things – family and friends, house, income, good
doctors, but also the little things: the ability to walk, to eat, to remember, to
use both hands. Amen
