Life consigned them to the fringes. The borderline of eternity was their abode. Hope was the costliest commodity in their warehouse and every step was a labor. These were the ten lepers, Samaritans and Jews made no difference. Problems unite odd fellows in a marriage of inconvenience .
Then came the news. One different from the demands of Moses. No bell on the waist singing unclean to the rest of humanity. No turtle dove nor escape goat to calm the nerves of an angry God. Plain good news it was. The son of God has become the son of man that the sons of men may become the sons of God.
Spurred by the news, hope sprang from the winter of their souls. The ten with broken noses, stumped knuckles,and cracked lips ,hid behind the mask of smelly rags and ventured outside the boundaries of death in search of life.
“Go show yourself to the high priest “the author of life commanded. Their obedient faith woke life out of their dead nerves. River of life eroded the corrosion of death and their hands could feel pain again, eyes saw , stumped fingers felt the jilt of heat. Those are the abnormal complaints of the normal man, yet a pinnacle of joy to the deprived.
The sun is too hot, the rains are heavy, the air too humid. My weight is much, my height is too tall or shot. My color is purple I want to look green, my Mercedes is antiques, my hut is hot.” Bring it on, if you can oh you insatiable humanity.” God seem to be saying. I have never heard a complaint from the grave yard, except the sweet harmony of the gentle breeze rustling over the trees. The dead seem to say in unison, your judgment is true.
In sickness, truth and integrity wins, in health survival and rivalry referees our actions. In the matter of gratitude God scores humanity one over ten.” Were there not ten healed , none returned except this Samaritan.” That sums up our approach in our dealings with God. Desperate for more and cares less in thanks. Why didn’t the nine return? Condemn them not . They are like you and I.
Why have we not returned thanks for a sound sleep, for a nice family, for journey mercies, for good health, for a nice career, and for the beauty that you are. We complain of a grain of sand in a plate of rice and forget to thank God for the rice. We complain of headache and forget about the head .
We judge God by what we have not which pales in comparison to what we have. Till we return to God with full thanks , like the lepers, we will remain healed but not whole. In otherwise, we will feel the pains in the stumped fingers, but not have the joy of the full use of our hands.