This weekend in church we will hear a gospel story about a time Jesus healed ten lepers in a single burst of mercy and grace, meaning in a moment their whole lives are transformed: they are no longer afflicted by the painful condition that would eventually claim their lives, and just as importantly, they are now able to return to their homes and families and reconnect with their community. Whole life was restored to these people, both physically and relationally.

The twist in this happy story is that, of the ten who were healed, only one comes back to thank Jesus. Now, it would be easy to celebrate his example and condemn the lack of gratitude of other nine, but I don’t think they were ungrateful. To imagine them as unfeeling or thankless is to view this story through an overly simplistic and moralistic lens. I mean, how could they be anything other than joyfully grateful at this transformation?

When I think of how easily I could be among their number, it’s because I realize how quickly I can adjust to a new reality and take even amazing things for granted. Something fantastic will happen in my life, or I will receive some wonderful gift or opportunity, and as exciting as it is, it doesn’t take long before I am equalized to the great new thing. I don’t really notice or think about it much anymore. It’s just a part of my life, and my mind and body adjusts around it. Scientists call this “hedonic adaptation,” which is the tendency to return to our emotional baseline, regardless of major positive or negative events. Think about how long you stayed excited about driving after you got your driver’s license, or how long you stayed enthralled by your new iPhone. Hedonic adaptation is why lottery winners quite often experience no long-term boost to their happiness.

The reason Jesus praises the one leper is that he resists hedonic adaptation. He rises above the human tendency to quickly adjust and take new circumstances for granted. And the way he does this is by practicing gratitude. He comes back and says thank you to Jesus. He pauses in the midst of his incredible, restored life to express his thanks. And here’s the thing: as a result of this, he has an even greater capacity for joy and happiness. That’s what scientists who study hedonic adaptation have found. When we express gratitude on a regular basis, it elevates our baseline, and prevents us from quickly taking things for granted. It makes us more content and more joyful. It elevates our souls beyond a momentary burst of pleasure.

Last weekend David Diggs modeled this for us in his inspiring words at church. A year ago David was diagnosed with a terrible form of colon cancer, but his doctor now tells him the cancer has virtually disappeared. David spoke about how the love of God and the prayers of our church helped carry him through the terrible treatments, and he ended his remarks with a chorus of “thank you”. He said “thank you” over a dozen times. David practices gratitude every day, and it’s helped him resist the adaptive temptation to take his good health for granted. He thanks God every single day, and I can’t remember the last time I saw David that he didn’t express thanks for the love and support he experiences here.

Are you ready to experience more joy and contentment? Are you hungry to not take great things for granted? Are you ready to get closer to Jesus and the abundant life he describes as his hope for us? Well, you can start by following the example of the one leper, and of our friend David, and make a point to say thank you. Express your gratitude to God for those good things in your life. Start today, and do it again tomorrow, and the next day. Your heart will grow, your joy will grow, and before you know it, you’ll be standing in front of Jesus, hearing him say, “Your faith has made you well.”

See you this weekend.
-Casey+