calling all outcasts and misfits everywhere....

"And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan." Luke 17:15-16

There were ten to begin with. All ten lepers were instructed to go show themselves to the temple leadership for inspection of their of bodies and the right to re-enter society with a "clean" status. All ten lived daily with the reality of their "unclean" state. Their disease was extremely serious and no one in the community was to touch them. Removed from the opportunity daily to have relationships with friends and family, their ailment limited their quality of life severely. Then came Jesus. All ten are equally healed and set free from leprosy as they went by faith to show themselves to the temple priests. But only one instinctively returned and enthusiastically glorified God at the feet of Jesus. I wonder what the other nine were doing? We often think the worst of them. More than likely Jewish, familiar and accepted in the temple system. Perhaps they immediately went from the temple to show mom or dad, brother or sister. Just their miraculous recovery alone would have stirred up attention wherever they were. What did they say? How did they explain themselves? We are not told. All we know is that they all were drastically changed from this event. But the distinction given to the one who returned has to do with his non-Jewish heritage, his outsider label that could not be cleansed, healed or washed away, except within the changed hearts of previously prejudice believers. There is a good chance that this man ran back to Jesus because he was not fully received in the temple system as a Samaritan. The fact that the only one who returned to glorify God and thank Jesus for their healing was a mix breed, considered unclean and impure from birth to most Jews, speaks volumes of God's perspective of how unthankful Israel was and how beyond Israel the Gospel was meant to spread. But the obstacle was the hard hearts and ignorant ways of believing Jews. When you consider these things, you can't help but realize within the walls of most Christian churches today the need for a radical awakening to the same limiting conditions. We too can easily attempt too often to function without genuine worship and gratefulness for all He has done for us, as well as neglecting the fact that the Gospel is meant to go beyond us, beyond our stained glass windows, steeples and Sunday school classrooms. Beyond our Dogma and Creeds. Beyond our Seminary's and Mission Statements.... there are people unlike us who are ready to have a reason to fall to the ground and loudly praise God for all He has done for them. Will they be given the opportunity?

The disciples were caught up in the whole "Israel / Rome" scandal and couldn't get beyond their own wrong idea of what Jesus was going to do to bring an end to some political suffering in the region. Regional mindset limited their correct view of the world. And the same can be said of much of the church culture today. Often Jesus exalted his experience with non-Jew recipients. He did this to make sure that those Jews around him would begin the tough job of personally removing walls and barriers to the Gospel that existed in their own hearts. The Kingdom of God has always been larger than our prejudicial leanings, and yes I believe we still have some.

I'm glad that the one who returned was not a Jew. What a huge statement that makes concerning the limitless potential of the advancement of the Kingdom of God everywhere. What part of the world has yet to be reached? What labeled people group in the world, or even just in our community has yet to hear of Christ? What is needed to reach them? Perhaps the key lies in letting these people win us before we can ever make authentic attempts to win them. In other words, do I think of them, consider them, pray for them, weep for them, really value them? Do I miss them at the table of the Lord, in the fellowship of the brethren? Can I imagine the Kingdom of God without them? The disciples could early in their learning process with Christ. May it never be so with us. Let's not envision the Body of Christ without the least of these. My heart goes out this morning to the Samaritan Lepers all over the world. May God help us to get a large enough vision that includes the future sight and sounds of their gratefulness.