a leper may burn to death because he is unable to feel the extreme
heat of a fire.
Leprosy is a wasting disease. It destroys the cells of the body, tak-
ing away appendages. Fingers, toes, arms, legs may literally waste
away.
But perhaps the most devastating consequence of all to lepers in
biblical times was that their contagiousness meant isolation. They
lived in caves, huddled together, wrapped in rags, shunned by all so-
ciety but each other.
No wonder Jesus had pity on the ten leprous men. No wonder he
answered their prayer. He looked at them in compassion and told
them to go and show themselves to the priests. And in the simple act
of doing that, they were healed.
But sadly, only one of them came back and gave God the credit
for his healing. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet. He worshiped and
gave thanks. And perhaps the most unusual element of this story is
that this man was not even a Jew.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten of these men cleansed? Where are
the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God
except this foreigner?” Then he said to the Samaritan, “Rise and go;
your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:17–19).
In some way, all of us are like the lepers. We all live at times with
our feelings numbed by the harsh realities of life; at times we feel the
wasting effects of the enemy’s warfare, and at other times we feel bit-
terly isolated from others.
But the Lord showed us in this story that the way to his healing is
open when we pray the way the Samaritan leper did: with faith to
ask the Lord for what we need. Faith to listen for his instructions and
follow them. And faith to return to him with gratitude in our hearts.
196 CLAIRECLONINGER