Thanksgiving Day is a holiday to give some thanks!

It is not “Be Thankful” day. It is “Give Thanks” day.

There is a difference between being thankful and giving thanks.

Both are good! But, one is looking to let someone know that they are thankful.

One is thankful internally, and the other is thankful externally. It lets the other person know. It gives thanks to the other.

Each year about this time, I come back to the Luke 17 passage where Jesus heals the 10 lepers. There were 10 men suffering with leprosy. Ten men that cried out to Jesus for mercy. There were 10 men that Jesus miraculously healed as they went to show themselves to the priests.

There was only one of those 10 that “when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.” (Luke 17:15)

I think it is reasonable to think that all ten were thankful. As they walked on their way and their skin was healed, I am sure they were happy and smiling, maybe even high-fiving each other that the painful, itchy, rashy, skin disease was gone. It is hard to imagine that they weren’t elated and thankful. But there is a difference between being thankful and giving thanks.

Only one of the ten turned back and went to give thanks to the one that had healed them. Only one let the healer know that he was thankful for the mercy and the healing. After they had cried out for mercy, only one went back to let the merciful one know he was thankful for the mercy shown to him.

Giving Thanks is special! Giving thanks is powerful.

This Thanksgiving week and holiday season, lets be thankful! But lets also give some thanks to who we can.