Only one in 10 of the lepers who were healed came back to thank Jesus for his healing and, as a result, many sermons have been preached from this passage (Luke 17. 11 - 19) on a perceived lack of thankfulness in our lives.
There is, however, a simple reason why only one came back and that is that their healing didn't happen instantly but only as they did what Jesus had told them to do and went to see the priest who could confirm that their leprosy was healed and readmit them to the community.
All 10 did as Jesus said, all 10 were healed as they did so, nine continued to see the priest as they had been told to do, while one returned to thank Jesus before then continuing to see the priest. Like Jesus, we can certainly celebrate the thankfulness of the one who returned but there are also significant lessons to learn from the fact that the healing of the 10 occurred as they were obedient and as they were travelling.
As human beings we often find security in sameness, in repetition, and in things remaining the same. The result can be that we also remain the same and do not change. Change inevitably involves disruption and movement; something different needs to happen in order that we change. That is what Jesus calls these 10 lepers to experience. Having been ostracised by society because of their condition they have understandably banded together to support each other on the edge of society.
In Jesus' time, to make the journey back from the edge of society people had to be examined by a priest who had to confirm that their condition had been healed before they could be readmitted to society. That is what Jesus told them to go and do but it is significant that they had not been healed at the point that he told them to go. He told them to go, to move, to make a change but they were not healed until they had begun to make the change and were on their way to see the priest. This is why they don't all thank Jesus; they are not with Jesus when the healing comes.
As well as being willing to make a move, to change, they also had to trust in Jesus and in his instructions. It would have been easy to say, 'I'm no different, I'm not healed, therefore there's no point in going to see the priest.' They could have stayed where they were in what had become familiar and safe for them. Instead, they all set out on what was a risky undertaking where they could have been exposed to ridicule, as if their healing had not occurred on the way, they could have gone to the priest and have been turned away in disgrace as delusional lepers.
There will be points in all our lives where our experience will be similar. We will have been in one place or one role or one way of doing and being for too long and we will be stagnating as a result. Something has to change in order that we grow and develop in new ways and in different aspects of our lives. Sometimes we recognise the situation and choose to change, sometimes the change is forced on us. However it begins and however resentful we might sometimes feel, the only way for us to experience growth and develop in this situation is to make the move and accept the change. While we may not be thankful at the time, often, with hindsight, we can see that change was actually good for us.
The rock band Switchfoot put it like this:
“The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
Like today never happened before”
Change is constant – it inevitably comes - there are always challenges to be faced and overcome. What needs to change in us is our attitude towards change, our acceptance of it and our willingness to face it. We can pray: May we be equal to the task ahead of us, ready to renew ourselves, ready to take on the new, anxious to let go of old ideas that no longer fit, moving with confidence, into the future, your future. Make us strong enough to triumph, flexible enough to grow and change as needed, optimistic enough to see the new opportunities as we move into the changing landscape of our lives. May we accept and welcome the change that will inevitably come.
Jesus was the catalyst for change and the predictor of change for the 10 lepers, as was also the case for his first disciples. We can pray: Help us to see you clearly in the challenges and changes of our times that you might also be our Lord and guide today. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory. Calm our concerns, show us new opportunities, and give us the freedom to discover ourselves afresh in serving you. Show us what you have stored up for us and give us the courage to follow you.
Having support in making changes - the encouragement of Jesus to make the move and the benefit of being part of a group as they do so - is clearly very significant. If we are those needing to make a change then finding the support of others in doing so is wise while, if not, we can seek to be among those who support others in making changes. The key is to recognise that movement and change needs to occur if growth, development and healing is also to come. So, I pray the blessing of new opportunities, renewal of our lives, flexibility to grow, moving with confidence into the future, and God’s heavenly glory made known to rest upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
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Switchfoot - Dare You To Move.
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