The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

276 THE HEALING OF
This is why Jesus was glad at the return of the
He did
one leper, and sad at the failure of the nine.
not thirst for vainglorious praise ; but He valued and
looked for gratitude
because He knew that only such
a temper is worthy of a man. The poor leper at His
feet, glowing and panting with broken phrases of
thanksgiving to God, and to Jesus Himself—how
his soul was enlarged by this noble response to a
noble deed ! And those mean-spirited wretches in
the distance, whose only thought was for themselves
—how dwarfed in feeling and thought their selfishness
made them ! Those were healed
;
yes, but that
was all ; their soul had no share in the benefit. But
this man was not only healed, but "made whole";
his entire nature, soul, and bod)', was cleansed, disinfected,
made fresh and clean, because he had bathed
himself in floods of grateful feeling, and had forgotten
the physical side of the gift that had come to him in
an overpowering, passionate gratitude to the Giver.
" Life is only bright when it proceedeth
Towards a truer, deeper Life above ;
Human love is sweetest when it leadeth
To a more divine and perfect Love."
" Love God, and you will throw off the love of self
love God, and you will love all that He gives you to
love, for love of Him."
For this sense of gratitude does not end with
itself; it seeks to express itself in some form of
service for others. Thanksgiving, when perfect, goes
out in benefit. We long to do something for Him
who loves us, and gave Himself for us ;
and this
service is religion in practice, as gratitude is religion in