Family barnacles

Jesus asked, “Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17, 18 NLT)

Sometimes it takes the deeds or insight of an outsider to return value to a family, or family member, lost through years of fighting and misunderstanding. Senses become dull. Instead of appreciating individual differences and uniqueness we become intolerant of one another. 

Pride, selfishness and the dulling of senses can become like barnacles to a ship in a family. If barnacles are allowed to accumulate on a ship's hull, the ship will travel slower in the water, or it will have to burn more fuel to keep up its speed, than it would otherwise. A six month growth of barnacles can result in having to burn 40 to 45 percent more fuel to maintain cruising speed.  

As with the decrease in a boats speed from barnacles, it will take more and more effort to interact in a family consumed with the barnacles of pride, selfishness and hurt moving them away from healthy relationships to where intolerance is the standard.

Sounds like this was what was happening within the Jewish religious family. Leaders were consumed with pride in their positions, members were intolerant of anyone who wasn't a 'real' Jew.  It took an outsider, a dreaded Samaritan* to react in the manner the other nine family members should have.  

All ten were healed through their obedience to the command (vs 14), but the foreigner had something the others didn't...a thankful heart.  A grateful heart will always see beyond duty and obligation, and beyond pride and self.

*Non-Jewish people who partially adopted the Jewish religion, were never accepted by the Jewish people as one of them, and eventually became antagonists of the Jews. Originated about 700-600BC