The downside of healing the leper

Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:  “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Mark 1: 42 – 45

This is the story of a leper who came to Jesus and asked him to heal him. He had such faith that if Jesus was willing, he would be healed and his faith was rewarded. Jesus was willing and he stretched out his hand and the leper was immediately healed.

However Jesus told him with a strong warning not to tell this to anyone. In the Amplified it says Jesus charged him sternly (sharply and threateningly, and with earnest admonition) and [acting with deep feeling thrust him forth and] sent him away at once. Jesus had good reasons for doing this. As a result of the leper’s talking freely, it caused Jesus to be seriously inconvenienced and it certainly severely hampered his ministry. Jesus ended up having to live away from society.

 We can understand why the man wanted to tell everyone and his reasons may have been good in that he wanted God to be glorified for his miracle or it may just be that he wanted to be openly welcomed back into society. Leprosy was a terrible cause of social exclusion and normally lepers would live and die away from family and friends, so to be healed was a memorable miracle.  However Jesus warned him strongly and sternly not to tell anyone and yet he ignored Jesus and went and told everyone.

 I doubt if the leper realised what a problem he was causing Jesus. He just did what he thought was best but it is obedience that God values.  God has the bigger picture and can see things from all angles for all people. When God asks us to do things his way it is because he really does know best.

Perhaps next time God asks us to do something his way, the first thing is to obey. Then we can take it up with God and ask him why it had to be this way and he may well tell us or let events unfold that show that he knew something we didn’t. That has happened to me on several occasions and I know now to go with not against the check in the Spirit because inevitably later on, all will become clear.

God wants our obedience not because he wants slavish robots who cannot think for themselves but because he wants us to walk freely in the joy of knowing that God’s ways are best for everybody and will bring the greatest blessing to both ourselves and those around us.