Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. Fate awaited Him there and He knew what He was going to. Yet, on his way there between Samaria and Galilee he stopped off long enough to heal ten lepers. The story is in Luke 17:11-19.
Leprosy, which is called Hansen’s disease today, is marked by nerve and skin damage. It’s caused by a bacterium that eventually causes disfigurement. It can cause irreversible nerve damage when it isn’t treated. During Biblical times other skin diseases were also thought to be leprosy. Persons with this affliction were ordered from the camps of healthy persons. It was not uncommon for them to have to be as much as 50 yards away from other people. Lepers were outcasts.
When these ten saw Jesus coming, they started hollering and carrying on. They knew the stories of this healer and they wanted to be healed. Jesus heard their cries and told them to go to the priests for inspection. This had to be done to reenter society. Only one of the ten turned and fell on his face praising God for taking away the leprosy, only one, only one.
Nine did not say so much as thank you. Ingratitude hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Just think how many people complain and find fault with things their parents did as they were growing up. Parents often become the blame for many of their children’s shortcomings. But think what would happen if the parents walked off and left them as an infant for only a week. Of course, they would die. Parents were there to take care of them and keep them alive. Probably they did plenty of other things, too. Are parents thanked or appreciated? God’s the universal parent who sacrificed His son for the salvation of mankind. Is He thanked or appreciated?
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