Ingratitude
Luke 17:17, "And Jesus answering,
said..." After the
Samaritan had paid his respects to him, and made his
acknowledgments in this grateful way: were there not ten
cleansed? so many applied for a cure, and so many had it:
but where are the nine? or nine of them; here was one, but
where were the rest? they went and showed themselves to the
priests, and then returned to their several places of abode,
and took no notice of their physician and Saviour, to make
any returns to him. They are many, that are cleansed by the
blood of Christ; his blood was shed for many, for the
remission of sins; and by his righteousness, he justifies
many; at least there are many who profess themselves to be
cleansed by him, and yet there are but few that glorify him,
by keeping close to the rule of his word, by giving up
themselves to the churches of Christ, and by walking with
them in the ordinances of the Gospel: Christ’s flock, which
is separated from the world, and walks in Gospel order,
within the inclosures of it, is but a little flock; they are
but a few names in Sardis, who have not defiled themselves,
with corruptions in doctrine and discipline; and these few
are often such, who have been the worst of men, the vilest
of sinners, from whom it has been least expected, they
should glorify Christ: publicans and harlots go into the
kingdom of heaven, the Gospel church state, embrace its
doctrines, and submit to its ordinances, when the Scribes
and Pharisees, self-righteous persons, do not:
INGRATITUDE is a crime many are guilty
of, and it is highly resented by Christ; instances of
gratitude are few, but as one in ten; now and then a single
Samaritan, a stranger, one that has been a vile sinner,
comes and acknowledges the grace of Christ in cleansing him;
comes to the ministers of Christ, and to the churches, and
tells them what God has done for his soul: but where are the
rest, the many others, who have received spiritual
advantages, and never come to relate them, and express by
words and deeds, thankfulness for them?
- John Gill's Expositor
Nothing is found so hard for flesh and blood
to bear as ingratitude. Even a
poet of our own has said that it is "sharper than a
serpent's tooth to have a thankless child."
- J.C. Ryle - John 13
“And the Lord said, They will deliver thee
up” (v. 12). This must have been saddening to David’s heart,
for base ingratitude wounds deeply.
Yet let us not forget that the kindness of other friends
whom the Lord often unexpectedly raises up, counterbalances
the ingratitude and fickleness of those we have served.
- A.W.Pink - The Life of David (1 Samuel 23:12)
