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Counsels on Health
He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came
to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when
he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified
God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and
he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten
cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to
give glory to God, save this stranger. And He said unto him, Arise, go
thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”
Luke 17:12-19
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Here is a lesson for us all. These lepers were so corrupted by
disease that they had been restricted from society lest they should
contaminate others. Their limits had been prescribed by the authorities.
Jesus comes within their sight, and in their great suffering, they cry
unto Him who alone has power to relieve them. Jesus bids them
show themselves to the priests. They have faith to start on their way,
believing in the power of Christ to heal them. As they go on their way,
they realize that the horrible disease has left them. But only one has
feelings of gratitude, only one feels his deep indebtedness to Christ for
this great work wrought for him. This one returns praising God, and in
the greatest humiliation falls at the feet of Christ, acknowledging with
thankfulness the work wrought for him. And this man was a stranger;
the other nine were Jews.
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For the sake of this one man, who would make a right use of the
blessing of health, Jesus healed the whole ten. The nine passed on
without appreciating the work done and rendered no grateful thanks to
Jesus for doing the work.
Thus will the physicians of the Health Institute have their efforts
treated. But if, in their labor to help suffering humanity, one out of
twenty makes a right use of the benefits received and appreciates their
efforts in his behalf, the physicians should feel grateful and satisfied.
If one life out of ten is saved, and one soul out of one hundred is saved
in the kingdom of God, all connected with the Institute will be amply
repaid for all their efforts. All their anxiety and care will not be wholly
lost. If the King of glory, the Majesty of heaven, worked for suffering
humanity, and so few appreciated His divine aid, the physicians and
helpers at the Institute should blush to complain if their feeble efforts
are not appreciated by all and seem to be thrown away on some....
To deal with men and women whose minds as well as bodies are
diseased is a nice work. Great wisdom is needed by the physicians