Differently Grateful

Luke 17:11-19

I know I'm not supposed to, but there are students who I would call favorites. I want to treat everyone equally, but every year there seems to be one or two students I treat just a little better than the others. It usually happens that these are the students who are on the extreme fringes of high school society.

A couple of years ago I was privileged to work with a young man who was labeled as having a learning disability. He had no friends, shied away from any eye contact, and seemed extremely uncomfortable in groups. Nonetheless, he never gave up trying to do his academic best. He would come after school for extra help and would always ask questions if he didn't understand something. Unfortunately I was asked to move grade levels after two months of working with him and never really got to build a relationship with him.

Imagine my smile, then, when I saw his name on our roster for this year. This young man had graduated into his junior year with more than the required minimum credits. His grades hovered around a B average, and he was just as polite and respectful as I remember.

The first quarter of the school year ended last week Friday, and this young man is doing as well as he can. The workload is more than he was used to in his Freshman and Sophomore years, and the academics of doing the work is higher. Nevertheless, he still comes after school everyday to ensure he understands the work and that he doesn't fall behind.

I work with anywhere between 2 and 12 students on a daily basis, either in the classroom or in after school tutoring. I can honestly say that none of them say thank you for the help they receive on a daily basis except for this young man.

Let me be clear, I don't do what I do for the recognition. I do what I do because it helps our youth get through the toughest times of their lives. Because of that I don't feel bad if I'm never thanked and usually take any gratitude said as just that, words of gratitude. However, when this young man says thank you it's somehow a little different. His words of gratitude are honest and sincere. He really is thankful for the assistance he gets. When he says thank you I can feel it, not just hear it. His words have a way of reminding me how someone considered an outcast on the fringes of society can be honestly grateful for being included as a fully-accepted member of that society.

A great lesson from a wonderful angel; be honestly grateful no matter how different you might be, especially if your life has been improved by the one you are thanking. Not only will you show how much you appreciate that person, you'll also help remind them why they do the things they do.