A Different Kind of Leprosy (#360 of 365+)

“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cured of his
leprosy” (Matthew 8:2-3)

Leprosy has been around for over 4,000 years. It is now called Hansen’s Disease, named after a physician who discovered the bacteria which causes leprosy. Mycobacterium leprae is a slow-growing parasite that debilitates the nervous system. Some victims could become paralyzed but most of them simply lose all sensation in their nerve endings.

If there’s anything we’ve learned from the disfigurement of lepers, it’s that the ability to feel is taken for granted. Our nerves and our skin (packed with nerve endings) help us to avoid injuries which cause infections or lead to amputation. Pain lets us know something is terribly wrong, so we’ll check ourselves or get medical attention.

Joni said there’s another kind of leprosy—a “spiritual leprosy”—that I must avoid at all costs. If I allow sin to thrive in the hidden corners of my life, I’ll become numb to the things of God. If I’m deceived into believing no one will be harmed by my secret sin, I’ll continue growing more insensitive every day. Eventually the truth will come out, as it always does, and the bloody carnage will be everywhere.

“When I want to do good, evil is right there with me… What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:21, 24-25)

Last night there was a grocery store shooting on a nearby military installation. The incident is still being investigated by the FBI so the complete story probably won’t be revealed in the news anytime soon. However, I’m certain the man with the gun must have harbored anger or hate for quite a while. Whatever his ultimate intentions were—to steal or to kill—his actions were the byproduct of thoughts that had been stewing in his mind. The emotions behind the most surprising, explosive, and deadly acts of all always seem to need time to build… until they boil over. I’ll bet the perpetrator, if he’s still alive, appears unrepentant and unfeeling. A spiritual leper, if you will…

We’re all susceptible to spiritual leprosy. The writer of Hebrews wrote the following warning to Christians, people who claimed to believe in Christ:

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:12-13)

Lord, forgive my tough façade, my stubborn will, my hardness of heart. Holy Spirit, be the source of my strength. Be the power I need to resist sin, even fleeing the scene if necessary. Protect my heart and keep me sensitive to your Word and to your will. Even if it means I’ll break down into tears too often! Thank you for always being full of grace. Teach me to be more like you. Amen.