“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back,
praising God in a loud voice.
He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him
—and he was a Samaritan.”
Luke 17:15-16
Jesus was, as usual, crossing the cultural and religious “lines” of his earthly world. He had chosen to take a route back to Jerusalem that went through Samaritan territory…..”shlepping” where Jews preferred NOT to “shlep.” To make matters worse, Jesus passed through a “special area” that was reserved for lepers – outcasts of the towns. These were the “untouchables,” and had to declare themselves to anyone passing by, so travelers would not risk being contaminated by their leprosy. Humiliating! Jesus did not seem to see all those “lines” that this world draws that are meant to separate people from each other.
The lepers saw Jesus and recognized Him as Someone who could help them. They called out to Him…by name…asking for His help. Jesus directed them to go to the nearby priest in the village, to have him check their skin. They all headed to the village, their skin healing as they walked. Imagine their amazement and thrill as they watched their skin becoming new. No more living in pain….no more living as outcasts….no more separation from their families…their lives! I can imagine that their walking soon became running. It was a miracle!!!
BUT….one of them stopped. He turned around, walking….running…back to the place where he had been suffering on so many levels for such a long time!
Jesus was there.
The man with the new skin threw himself at Jesus’ feet. He had tofirst thank this One who had heard their cries, stopped, and spoken Words that began the healing process that would change their lives. His life.
The other 9 had continued back to their village….homes….families…lives. But this one, a Samaritan at that, went back, falling at the feet of Jesus. He could not go home without thanking the One Who had stopped, heard, and given him a new life.
May our words and our lives be a thanks-giving to Him as well.
desertspring.blog 