Don't you hate it when someone is telling a story and in the end you are a bit disappointed because the teller of the story did not make much of the most important ingredient. It is often like that with Biblical narratives. We (those of us who have spent much time in Church from our childhood) have heard the narrative over and over of the ten lepers who crossed paths with Jesus one afternoon. It is clear that they recognized Him because they hailed Him from a distance - just as they were required to do. Jesus responded to their call, and in the end, only one was thankful enough to find Jesus after his healing, to praise Him for His grace.

The narrative almost always focuses on that one man who, after his  required trip to "show" himself to the Priests at the Temple, thereby proving that he was "clean" and able to return to normal life, searched out where Jesus had gone, and tracked Him down. Some tellers of the event take time to speak to the issue of those nine others who were also healed, but failed in providing what should be a normal response to so great a gift. Hence, the narrative teaches, and rightly so, the importance and mandatory necessity for thankfulness related to any and all gifts given.

Unfortunately, those who are tellers of the narrative could miss the opportunity to add - or perhaps present before hand - the marvelous faith (which always comes by the power of God's Holy Spirit) that is easily overlooked. Jesus chose throughout His ministry, for whatever reason, to heal in a multitude of ways. Sometime by a touch, sometimes by a word, or on other occasions with ingredients that indicated grace is never limited to one form alone. On this occasion He did neither of the three I have mentioned. He simply told the men to "go and show themselves to the priests," (Luke 17:14) and somewhere along that path they were completely healed - though their faithful obedience. That kind of faith is amazing yet undoubtedly more common than one might imagine. Yes, it is always faith, and always the grace of God that brings healing of any kind, by any process, and that is a Truth that needs to be clearly shared - especially, perhaps, with little ones who are learning to trust God at His Word. But I would be remiss if I did not remind us that we all are to trust - at His Word.

Thanksgiving week is a great time to praise God  with abounding thanksgiving for all He has done. But many have yet to see the victory of believing (faith) before one sees the grace. To do so is to demonstrate maturity -  and is the "stuff" of which God's Truth is honored.