Gratitude - The Demon-possessed Man

The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.”

Luke 8:38-39

In their study of the effects of personal gratitude, Dr. Michael McCollough of Southern Methodist University and Dr. Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis found that people who expressed daily gratitude reported higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy, as well as lower levels of depression and stress. The study also showed that those who expressed gratitude were more likely to feel loved and to reciprocate acts of kindness.

Had they been able to study the life of a needy man in Jesus’ day, their conclusions would have been confirmed. The Gospels contain a beautiful story about the effects of gratitude in the life of a troubled man whose life Jesus touched.

As Jesus and his disciples arrived at a shoreline town on the Sea of Galilee, they encountered a violent demon-possessed man who lived in a cemetery. He was naked, out of his mind, and completely alone. When he saw Jesus, he ran toward him and threw himself at his feet, shrieking and begging Jesus not to torture him. Jesus calmly and purposefully took control of the situation. He spoke to the man and delivered him from his life of torment.

As Jesus and the disciples prepared to reboard their boat, the deeply grateful man begged Jesus to allow him to travel with them. Jesus had other plans. He told the man to go home and tell his family and friends what had happened to him.

Though Jesus didn’t allow the man to go with him, he still gratefully followed Jesus’ instructions. When he returned to his home, he told everyone he knew that Jesus had set him free.

True gratitude does that to a man. When you think of everything that God has done for you, what other response is there but to follow him?

A grateful heart is the best witness to the goodness and power of God. Gratitude has an infectious quality, so count your blessings today and express your gratitude in your words and actions.