I have always loved the story of the 10 lepers. I have appreciated it – since my childhood.
Back-in-the-day, it was the Gospel text for Thanksgiving Day – usually every year (or so it seemed.)
You always walked away, knowing “which leper” you wanted to be. (Which is kind of a crazy thought – in and of itself!) Why would anyone want to be a leper, ever?
But you did – given “the confines” of the story – you wanted to be a leper but you wanted to be the one who returned and gave thanks. You wanted to be the one at Jesus’ feet. You wanted to be the one who separated himself from the other 9. You wanted to be the Samaritan…the outcast, the foreigner – but the guy who did things right… You wanted to be “that guy” who thanks God for the good things in your life.
So, you wanted to be the outcast? You wanted to be the foreigner? You really wanted to be “the one” that was hated and despised? How strange is that? And yet, that is the effect the story had on you!
Being grateful, being thankful, saying thank you, were all things that were taught to us and drummed into us- at a very early age. The story was very relatable. You knew you should be the one to say “Thank you!”
It was respectful. It was polite. It was the honorable thing to do.
But perhaps more importantly – it was the “right thing to do.”
Say, “Please and thank you.” Don’t forget your manners, now!
When this story was first told to its original audience and hearers – this parable was a “real shocker.”
People were aghast! Surprise would have been everywhere.
I am sure that no one could “believe” what they were hearing! They probably questioned out loud the designation – “Samaritan.”
No one could believe it, Jesus was praising a leper, much less a Samaritan. It was unheard of… This guy was a double outcast, a foreigner, a pagan, not one of God’s own people! He was someone that should be avoided at all costs.
No one would have guessed – that out of ten, this one – would be the guy to show “the right response to God’s grace.”
Of all people — him!
All ten of the lepers had faith enough to call upon Jesus. All ten of them submitted to Jesus’ authority and asked for his grace. All ten responded to Jesus in obedience, and all ten received physical healing. All ten of them referred to Jesus as “Master.”
But only one of them was really an outcast and an undesirable…and that would be the hated and despised Samaritan.
Knowing Jesus, it makes so much sense, though.
Jesus was known for reaching out and for caring about the dregs of his society. He identified with them, he ate with them, he walks with them, he heals them, he teaches them and he cares for them… His love knew no limit.
We know furthermore that Luke often describes society’s “undesirable” people as being “models of faith” and as examples of “Kingdom living.”
Luke almost forces us to recognize that God loves every single person – there are no exceptions. Luke also reminds us that everyone is eligible to participate in the Kingdom of God.
The truth of the matter is that God doesn’t care how “desirable” we are by the world’s standards.
In fact, if we take the Holy Scriptures seriously, God loves the “ones” we consider “undesirable” at least as much as he loves anyone else. They are his. They belong to him!
And the funny thing is that he repeatedly calls upon us to love them too.
We are not to judge others.
We are not to scold others.
We are not to point a self-righteous finger at others-ever!
We are not to ignore others.
But we are to love them. Enemies included!
His – is – a new and different standard. His standard is different from ours…and from that of the world in which we live.
What a great story.
How masterfully told…
What a priceless piece of Scripture!
Imagine us, wanting to be a leper, a hated and despised leper, an outcaste, a foreigner, a pagan. And yet, that is the effect of this narrative.
Let the other 9 be on their way – we know, where we have it good!