Luke 17:11-19
New King James Version (NKJV)
Ten Lepers Cleansed
11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14 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.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.
At this time in history, lepers were kept in colonies away from others and skin lesions were one of the signs of leprosy. Jesus had mercy on them and healed them!
The lesson reminded me of a time when my skin was covered with sores and flaking from the effects of psoriasis'. I was in a store at a mall in Oklahoma City and I had a feeling that someone was watching me. Than I saw that someone was following me. I walked out of the door of that store and I heard a voice asking me to wait. I stopped and a woman came up to me and ask me if I was contagious. I told her no but she continued to ask questions. I told her that I had psoriasis and offered to give her the number of my Doctor and she would not take it but I could tell she did not believe me. I finally just walked away from her feeling humiliated and ugly. I felt like a leper!
The memory made me wonder how many are there that feel like lepers and are walking among us. Do they feel unwanted and outcast? Do I judge others by how they look? Do I judge others by what they wear? Do I judge others by how they smell? Do I judge others because they look contagious? Have I made others to feel like a leper??
I know that I have? How many lepers have I made feel ugly and humiliated? I need to love like Jesus!! He does not care what a person wears, how they look, if they have leprosy, how they smell or if they are contagious?
What about you? How have you treated the lepers among us??
John 13:34-35
New King James Version (NKJV)
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
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