Go, Show Yourselves to the Priests…
One of the most fascinating aspects of the life of Jesus Christ is His granting mercy to the lepers. When Jesus encountered the outcast of society, the ones that have been removed from society and when they come to town they must announce “unclean” as they walk the sidewalk, as Jesus entered their “village”, their camp, they approached Him and shouted from afar…
And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” ~ Luke 17:13 NKJB
When do we walk on the outskirts of town, where we find unclean “villages” with men of leprosy? Would this same type of “village” be found a the local rescue mission? What about a house for drug rehabilitation? Does it make sense that the unclean would be gathered in these locations – the outcast, the people that society has thrown in the trash and doesn’t want to be around? Are these not the people we are to minister?
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Jesus Christ did not waste a moment of time. The men approached Jesus ask for mercy and Jesus tells them…
So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. ~ Luke 7:14 NKJB
When Jesus does this He is telling these men to leave their “village” go to the heart of the local city and show themselves as being shown mercy, healed of their affliction and worthy of being members of the society. Isn’t this what most of the people at the local rescue mission and rehabilitation house are looking for? Acceptance they never knew before? Love that evaded them their entire life? Healing of their soul that only comes from a society that opens the door of welcome and opportunity?
One of the men from “a certain village” returned to Jesus instead of going to the city to show the priest. This man gave a loud shout of praise of God for healing him. This man then falls at the feet of Jesus Christ, face down on his face and thanked Jesus. Apparently this one man was not only a leper but he was also a Samaritan – a second affliction. Not only was he an outcast for his outward affliction he was an outcast because he was a mixed race. How much worse could it get for this person? How much more could society despise his presence?
Jesus is no more concerned about this man being a Samaritan than He is about his leprosy. The only thing that matters is this man returned to thank God for his healing, for his acceptance and the love that Jesus showed towards him. Jesus, as He is prone to do, rewarded the man with a command…
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. ~ Luke 17:18-19 KJB
God Almighty, in the name of Jesus Christ, soften our hearts in this day, and all the days to come, that we may see others as a child of God and not as the devil would have us see them – a drug addict, a homeless person or an outcast of society. Touch our heart that we may be a vessel for the Light of Jesus Christ to shine through us and illuminate those around us – all that we come in contact with, not just the few.
Either the Scripture is the divine Word of God teaching us how to live and how to be a reflection of God, or it’s nothing more than a historical account of events.
