The string of grotesque markings on the “ten” were unbearable to live with in every sense of the word. Leprosy, the social disease and dread, had united these “ten” together with one common goal – a cure, anywhere by anyone at any cost. Each had encountered the same sequence of symptoms. The first of the entourage of ghoulish signs were raised rashes on the skin, accompanied with extreme numbness and muscle weakness. Next came the blisters and skin wounds on the soles of the feet. Because of the numbness, the wounds went unnoticed and eventually they evolved in erupting and disfiguring sores. The muscle weakness lead to deformities. The fingers took on the appearance of claws and the feet were no longer able to flex. Soon the nerves around the eyes became damaged and unable to blink. Because the blinking was impaired, the eyes became dry and infected. And then blindness. Insult to injury, unable to father a child. Inevitably, the joints, kidneys, and livers became inflamed. One of the final disfigurements before death was the collapse of the nose.
These were only the physical conditions of the ten who circled the outskirts of the city every night. When this living death covered their bodies, the emotional weight was as heavy as the physical. So degrading, so humiliating, so lonely! Their clothes were torn from them, their heads were shaved and they were forced to cry out “unclean”. The worst blow of this grim reaper was the isolation – living outside the camp, outside the city, outside your family’s domain. Because leprosy was considered by society as the “Curse of God”, the lepers were deemed an outcast from heaven, earth and anything held holy. The Pharisees’ first prayer of the morning was thanking Yahweh, that they were not born a Gentile, a slave, a leper or a woman.
The grotesque beings, enwrapped with rags and resembling mummies, rummaged nightly through the garbage heaps for leftovers. And during the day searched for a glimpse of hope. But there was none! That is until Jesus walked into their town. From roof to roof, echoed shouts that the miracle worker from Nazareth was in the city limits. The ten snuck around clusters of news bearers to learn all they could. Hiding behind walls and creeping alongside the wells, all the stories pointed to one profound truth, Jesus had the power to heal. Hope began to swell and faith began to grow. Determination began to deaden the pain of rotting flesh and a glimmering faith pointed the way, that memorable day, to the Healer.
“And as Jesus was going into one village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance. And they raised up their voices and called, Jesus, Master, take pity and have mercy on us! And when He saw them, He said to them, Go (at once) and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cured and made clean.” Luke 17:12-14. Ten received limbs, ten received sight, ten received wholeness in every aspect of life. No longer in solitude, no longer in lack, no longer an outcast of society. To fathom that all would not return to their healer in jubilation and heart-filled gratitude is incomprehensible. However, only one came back!
Purposely I detailed the seemingly destitute black hole the “ten” had been thrown into. But you, at some time in your life, have shared the darkness, the loneliness, the pain in that odious and diabolical realm. Remember the times you closed yourself in, shut yourself down, held onto the last knot, let go of your last source, wrapped yourself in pity and uncovered your deepest fears. And then HOPE! Jesus pulled you out of fear, loneliness, debt, sickness and chaos. You were brought up out of the pit and placed on top of the mountain. Have you forgotten, have you continued being thankful for the airlift?
If you have food in your pantry, if you have a roof over your head, if you have loved ones surrounding you, if you have a mind to think and a heart to love, thankfulness should be shouting from your being. And more than anything, if you have been cleansed from the spiritual leprosy of sin, if you are a new creature in Christ and your name written in the Book of Life, every day should be one of exuberant thanksgiving. God loves a grateful heart and thanksgiving should be every day. Please, be the one who comes back!
