Like The Leper

Rejoice and share the good news of God‘s faithfulness giving thanks to Him for all He has done. 

“Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die?…if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there…The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. …then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves…So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers” 2 Kings 7:3-11

What will you do with the good news?   Will you keep a secret of salvation to yourself? Will you go off and hide your treasure? Or will you tell anyone and everyone about how you have been saved? 

These were the questions facing the four lepers who were dying of starvation because of the severe famine. An interesting wrinkle in the story is to remember how others had treated the lepers. It said these men were standing outside the gate having clearly been treated poorly. These were outcasts who had no obligation to go back and help the people who had cast them out, but something within them told them that was not right. So they went back and helped the whole city see how God had saved them. 

We each have to wrestle with the responsibility of what it means to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Will we be people who forgive those who offend us or treat us like outcasts? God forgives and wants us to freely do so as well because the good news is too good to keep to ourselves. We are called to tell all people about the treasure we have found in Christ. 

“May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalms 20:5-7 

David was not one to keep his salvation silent. He said shout out for joy and lift up your banner in the name of God. David knew he had influence and that every day was an opportunity to lift up the name of the Lord.  Can you picture someone shouting loudly and waving a banner with a joyous smile on their face? This was David. Is it us?  Are you doing everything you can to declare the good news? 

David reveals the truth behind his song of triumph. The strength to sing triumphantly came from the salvation he had by trusting in the Lord. Think for a second why people don’t sing. Some people do not sing because their trust is in their stuff or self.  Trusting in anything other than God is like building a house on sand. One day it will collapse. 

“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways…Fools mock at making amends for sin…There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. Righteousness exalts a nation”

Proverbs 14:8-34

If you were traveling down a path that would end in trouble would you not want to turn away?  Wisdom tells us that there is a way that seems right, but ends in death. It does not take much time when looking at popular culture to see what a path that leads to death could look like. The world is full of ways that are not in alignment with God or doing good. 

Wisdom tells us that fools refuse to forgive or make amends. Fools are hotheaded and quick tempered.  We live in a world where people tend to react strongly and have emotional outbursts. Every one of us can get frustrated when we are cut off in traffic or offended by what someone else does. Do you have any offense in your heart?

This is where wisdom steps in and tells us to be prudent. Wisdom reminds us that we have all fallen short, have no place to judge others, nor deny forgiveness. The fear of the Lord turns us from the snares of death and sin of offense. Where have you gotten caught in the snares of sin? Where do you need freedom and forgiveness? 

Do you want to honor God and give thanks? Wisdom tells us that being kind to the poor and blessing those in need honors God. How we give and how we live reflects how much we appreciate the grace and generosity of God. 

“Have you not just called to me: ‘My Father, my friend from my youth…This is how you talk, but you do all the evil you can…Only acknowledge your guilt you have rebelled against the Lord your God…and have not obeyed me,’ ” declares the Lord. “Return, faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband. I will choose you…all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts…How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” Jeremiah 3:4-22

Will we listen to God’s invitation to return, repent, and let him restore us? Truth tells us that every one of us has turned from God in one way or another.  Truth tells us that we need to repent from sin and stubbornness. 

Think of how this relates to all the other passages today. The people who had been in the city under siege, had been so stubborn that they did not see that God had already moved on their behalf.  It was the outcast lepers that shared the good news because they had trusted in God saving them from their enemies. 

God said he wants to bring peace to our hearts and He gives us good news that He forgives sins. He restores. He loves as Father and blesses us as His children. Will we turn from paths that seem right but end in death? Will we turn from unforgiveness or unfaithfulness? 

“So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them…As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:3-21

One leper returns to Jesus. One person is so thankful for the grace of Jesus that his heart is transformed and he cannot help but rejoice.  One person experiences healing that is so profound that he cannot help but share the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done. Who are you in the story? Are you the one or one of the nine?

All ten received the miracle, but only one returned with a heart full of gratitude. The lepers in 2 Kings said, “We cannot keep the good news to ourselves,” and like the healed foreigner, they shared it so that more lives would be changed. God changes outcasts to evangelists. 

When we embrace what it means that God has forgiven us, restored us, and welcomed us as His children, thanksgiving is the only righteous response. Like Jeremiah said, He is faithful even when we have been unfaithful. He forgives when we do not deserve forgiveness. As we are transformed by his amazing grace, we are called to turn and share the good news with others.  

What is your story? What has God rescued you from? Will you share the hope you have found in Christ? Is there someone you need to forgive because you have first been forgiven? Every day is another opportunity to return to the Father, walk in wisdom, give thanks, and point someone else toward the Savior Jesus Christ.

Let gratitude overflow into praise, praise overflow into obedience, and obedience overflow into sharing the good news. The Father delights in restoring His children, Jesus delights in forgiving sinners, and the Holy Spirit delights in leading us each day. Be like the healed leper. Help lead others to the love you have found by lifting up the name of Jesus and sharing how you have been healed.