Something Jesus said has bothered me for quite a while. Well, I don’t necessarily have a problem with Jesus making the statement as I do with understanding what He said—it is concerning a conversation Jesus had one day when He was walking with His disciples to Jerusalem:

“On the way to Jerusalem He was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’ When He saw them, He said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, 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. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ And He said to him, ‘Rise and go your way, your faith has made you well.’” (Luke 17:11-19)

The struggle I’ve had with this is that the nine were doing what Jesus told them to do—they were also obeying the Mosaic law (Leviticus 13) —and they were still exercising faith by doing so. Yet Jesus acknowledged the Samaritan for returning, praising God, and giving thanks.

The Samaritan didn’t have the constraints of the law that the Jews had, yet he had Jesus’ instructions. He also had a grateful heart.

Is there something deeper than the “do’s and don’ts” of religion that Jesus is looking for in our lives? One thing that came to me loud and clear through this story is that there is always time to praise the Lord and thank Him for what He has done. We may have places to be and things to do; but there is always time to fall on our faces at Jesus’ feet and give thanks.

I’ve had a “law-based” mindset for a very long time, without even being aware of the laws I’ve set out for myself. Laws to prove my worth—like how much I should accomplish each day (which I fail miserably). What I should be doing for Jesus (law-based people are really vulnerable to “should do’s”!) And when I fail (which is often), then I need to try better the next day. My worth tends to be wrapped up in what I do or don’t do.

But Jesus is more concerned with our hearts. This man, the Samaritan’s grateful heart is what blessed Him.

I’ve kind of looked at this story as Jesus comparing the Jews with the Gentiles, but I think it goes deeper than that—He was, through this experience letting the Jewish people who were following Him, know that Samaritan believers have a place in God’s kingdom, too; and that a relationship with God is more than obeying rules. When we compare ourselves to others, we may want to remember that it is our hearts God wants, not just our performance.

I wonder if, when our primary focus is on obeying laws, then thanking and praising God becomes a law, too. When all we see is what Jesus did for us and is doing for us, then praise is a natural outflow of our lives, not just something we’re “supposed to do.”

“Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him [Jesus], since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25)

It is always about faith. As easy as it is to figure that God will or God should answer our prayers because we “are doing it right”—the right words, doing the right things, obeying the right laws—when the subtle, unconscious expectation slips in of “God owes me”—for whatever reason, then it quits being about faith and becomes about a wage.

There is a lot going on when Jesus is involved in peoples’ lives, in His interactions with people—both in the Biblical record of His life, and now. Spending time with Him, contemplating the scriptures, and grasping the fact that He is involved in our world and our lives now is difficult to do with so many distractions, yet nothing compares to the awareness that He is in us and with us and working all things together for our good because we “are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) How can we help but praise Him?