“On Gratitude,” Ensign, Jan. 2013, 61
On Gratitude
Sharon Nauta Steele lives in Utah, USA.
In a certain village, on a certain day,
ten lepers stood far off
and lifted up their voices unto Christ:
“Have mercy on us, Master, please,
take our infirmities away.”
And it was done. According to the grace
of the Savior, Father’s Son,
they showed themselves unto the priest
and were cleansed.
And one of them, on finding he was whole,
paused moments on a grassy knoll,
turned his back
upon the path he would have trod,
and fell upon his face in praise of God.
But of the other nine, no word of thanks
escaped their tongues;
no hymns of praise were sung.
Too busy in their haste
to get on with their lives—
to publish joyous tidings
to their children and their wives—
perhaps without intending to be rude,
they overlooked the sacrament of thanks
and lost the sacred blessing bought
by showing gratitude.
Oh, that I might
from this parable be taught
and practice well the part
of living with an ever-grateful heart.
Photo illustration by David Stoker