Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19)

I joined in with my second-grade Sunday School students as they sang the well-known song:

Obedience is the very best way

To show that you believe

Doing exactly as the Lord commands

Doing it happily…

A Song, A Question, A Call

But I paused as their young voices kept singing. Was I doing what God commanded? I asked myself.

For most of my life, I had planned to become a teacher. Yet a visual disorder and early marriage had sidetracked that dream. Lately, I had felt a gentle urging to return to school and complete what I had started at 18.

Obedience in Uncertainty

I had many reasons not to listen to that voice. I was 34 years old, working as a librarian, and raising three children. I was still learning to navigate my visual disability. How could I possibly take on college work? And how would I pay for it?

In Luke 17, ten men with leprosy meet Jesus outside a small village on the border between Samaria and Galilee. They cry out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Knowing that only a priest could declare a leper clean (Leviticus 14), Jesus tells them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” They obeyed—and as they went, they were healed.

Gratitude That Transforms

But only one returned to thank Jesus. Marveling that it was the Samaritan who came back, Jesus said, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19). That man received not only physical healing, but spiritual restoration. He accepted the blessing and responded with gratitude. Scripture doesn’t tell us what happened to him afterward, but I believe he lived the rest of his life as a new man—grateful, changed, and whole.

That morning in my Sunday School class was a turning point. Jesus had given me the gift of teaching. Instructing second graders was meaningful, but I sensed a deeper call to “enlarge the place of my tent” (Isaiah 54:2). I didn’t know how we’d afford college or how I’d juggle childcare, work, and coursework—but I stepped out in faith. The very next day, I applied to Neumann University’s adult program.

Still Teaching, Still Thankful

I earned my BA in Elementary Education in three years, then became a Reading Specialist with an MEd, and later a Literacy Specialist with an EdD. God used me in many ways as a teacher—not least of which was supporting my family when my husband became disabled and could no longer work. For 37 years, across seven schools and universities, I taught, prayed for, and cared for each of my many students.

Jesus questioned the silence of the nine lepers, but He didn’t revoke their healing. Others may not praise God. Others may ignore the gifts they’ve been given. But the one who returned—the one who obeyed and expressed gratitude—was doubly blessed.

I was blessed to be called as a teacher. Even now, the gift continues to bear fruit as I write and mentor others. Gratitude has shaped my obedience. And obedience has led me into deeper faith.

Take Away

Obedience opens the door to blessing, but gratitude deepens the relationship. When we respond to God’s call with faith and thanksgiving, we are not only healed—we are made whole.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for the gifts You have placed within us. Help us to hear Your voice, even when the path seems uncertain. Give us courage to obey, and hearts that overflow with gratitude. May we be like the one who returned—faithful, thankful, and transformed. Use our lives to reflect Your mercy and multiply Your grace. Amen.

“Obedience opens the door to blessing, but gratitude deepens the relationship.