When the ten lepers came to Jesus for healing, He bade them go and show themselves to the priest. On the way they were cleansed, but only one of them returned to give Him glory. The others went their way, forgetting Him who had made them whole. How many are still doing the same thing! The Lord works continually to benefit mankind. He is ever imparting His bounties. He raises up the sick from beds of languishing, He delivers men from peril which they do not see, He commissions heavenly angels to save them from calamity, to guard them from "the pestilence that walketh in darkness" and "the destruction that wasteth at noonday" (Ps. 91:6); but their hearts are unimpressed. He has given all the riches of heaven to redeem them, and yet they are unmindful of His great love. By their ingratitude they close their hearts against the grace of God. Like the heath in the desert they know not when good cometh, and their souls inhabit the parched places of the wilderness.

Da de ti spedalske kom til Jesus for at blive helbredte, bød han dem gå hen og lade sig syne af præsten. På vejen derhen blev de rensede, men kun en af dem vendte tilbage for at prise ham. De andre gik bort og glemte ham, som havde gjort dem raske. Hvor er der mange, som stadig bærer sig ad på samme måde! Herren arbejder bestandig til gavn for mennesker. Han lader os stadig få del i sine rige gaver. Han oprejser de syge fra deres smertens leje, han udfrier mennesker fra en fare, som de ikke ser. Han udsender himmelske engle for at frelse dem fra ulykker, for at vogte dem fra "pest, der sniger i mørke", fra "middagens hærgende sot" (Sl. 91, 6), men deres hjerter lader sig ikke påvirke. Han har givet al Himmelens rigdom for at genløse dem, og dog viser de ligegyldighed for hans store kærlighed. Ved deres utaknemmelighed lukker de deres hjerte til for Guds nåde. Ligesom lyngen i ødemarken ved de ikke, hvornår det gode kommer, og deres sjæle bor i ørkenens solsvedne egne.