Hey, Hi, Hello! It's Time for the Verse!

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!! Heh, I kinda went overboard with the exclamation points. Anyway, if you what anything, a different story, advice, a change in format, a certain verse to study, a certain topic to talk about, whatever, just ask. I'm open to suggestions, maybe too open at times but oh well. So don't be afraid to comment! I enjoy reading the comments. :o) Anyway, today's verse is Luke 18:18. (The numbers were accidental. I was looking up the verse and I didn't realize the coincidence.) "There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger." This is Jesus speaking. In the passage, Jesus and his disciples come across a group of lepers (people with leprosy) sitting at the gates of a village on the road to Jerusalem. The lepers cried our to Him because they knew He could heal them. Jesus told them to show themselves tothe priests. So the ten lepers walked to the tabernacle to visit the priests. As they walked, they were healed. Nine of the lepers were Jews, God's chosen people. One was a Samaritan, a person witha Jewish parents and a non-Jewish parent. Samaritans and Jews didn't get along. So it was shocking when the only person that went back to Jesus, a Jew, and thanked Him was the Samaritan. That's when Jesus says the verse that we're studying today. "There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger" He knows that the other men were ungrateful of hte gift of healing. Only this Samaritan was grateful. He tells His disciples that no one came back to give glory to God for the healing except the stranger, the non-Jew. Even though most Samaritans have some Jewish blood in them, they are considered strangers to the Jews. Jesus later says to the man to go home because his faith has made him whole. Now, how does this apply to us today? Well, you know how people call other people names like dumbo, idiot, stupid, and a lot of other names I don't think is appropriate to type here. Well, I think one of the worst names you can call someone is ungrateful. I mean, it doesn't sound like much but if you think about it, it really is a very bad character trait. Those men were ungrateful. They didn't appreciate the gift that was given to them. What about you? You've got talents. Do you take them for granted and show off? Or do you use them to bring God glory. Let's go a bit deeper. What about your school? I know there are some Christians who are reading this. Are you thankful for the Christian school you can go to? Or are you hating the place because of the dress code or the strict rules. Those rules are there to help you grow in the gospel and to protect you from temptations. You should be grateful at least. Now, I'm going to get a bit personal about the next one. What about your family? Are you thankful for that kind mother that went through perhaps hours of pain when she gave birth to you? Are you thankful for that father who supplies for you and protected you when you were a defensless baby? Are you thankful, Christians around the world, for the many, many, prayers that were prayed by your parents every night for you? You Christians for Christian homes are blessed beyond compare. There are Christians that are suffering because of their beliefs and thier parents. They can't go to a nice church. They might not have mre than one Bible. They might not go t a Christian school. There are a lot of things to be grateful for. To think that you make fun of the dad that took care of you and helped you walk the Christian walk just to get some laughs with your friends is saddening. Do you not know that there are people in the world who don't have Christian parents like you do? If you do know that, why do you mock them? Call them "uncool". Why do you push away the two people who should be the closest to you? If you're ashamed of your parents, you're ashamed of your Savior. Think. Why are you doing what you are doing? It doesn't take much work to be an ungrateful brat even if you don't realize it.