Send to Kindleby Robin McKinley
Sometimes, when you read a Bible story, do you ever wonder, “How does this relate to me”? We might ask that question about the story we will look at today.
When Jesus healed the ten lepers, one of them stood out. The following verse indicates he was a foreigner, specifically a Samaritan. So, how can we relate to the healing of this Samaritan?
Jesus asked, “Didn‘t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?“ Luke 17:15-16
This occurrence began when Jesus and His disciples reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. When they entered a border town, they encountered a group of men.
As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Luke 17:12-13
Jesus cleansed them of their leprosy and told them to go and show themselves to the priests. Evidently, the signs of their disease cleared up as they followed Jesus’ instructions.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15-16
The Healing Of A Samaritan
Luke felt it important that his readers knew he was a Samaritan. Maybe we shouldn’t give it much thought. People often refer to a person’s skin color or nationality when telling a story.
And as far as Jesus was concerned, his nationality was immaterial. He healed all ten lepers without any prejudice. He did, however, use his return as a two-fold teaching point.
First, this Samaritan thanked Jesus for cleansing him. You see, for all practical purposes, society banished people with leprosy from all of humanity. They feared it because it had no cure.
Therefore, for any kind of social life, they had to find people just like themselves and band together. So, this man took the time to thank Jesus because he could reunite with his family.
The other reason isn’t quite as apparent. Because he was a Samaritan, he couldn’t go to the priest like the others could. So what could he do? He decided to go back to the source of his healing.
Why His Healing Is Important to Us
Put yourself in the shoes of this Samaritan leper. He contracted a disease that got worse as life went
on. He would witness his body rot away before his eyes. He had to show Jesus his gratitude.
Before, anytime people came his way, the law required him to shout, “unclean, unclean.” This time, the scripture says he returned to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!
Did you put yourself in his shoes? Good! Because you are in his shoes. Before you had an encounter with Jesus, your life was rotting away in its sin.
Sin is much worse, though, than leprosy. Leprosy can only kill the body. Sin can damn the soul. Praise God, Jesus cleansed us from all sin!
This Samaritan immediately went back to Jesus, praising and thanking Him. Shouldn’t we also find ourselves daily praising and thanking Him? He cleansed us! He made us whole!
Even if you can’t think of anything to be thankful for at the moment, take a deep breath and thank Him for it.
Lord, thank you for cleansing us of all our sins and making a way for us to spend eternity with you.
About the Author:
Robin, with his wife Cindy, became children’s evangelists early in their ministry. They ministered to children full time for 8 years. During that time they developed several children’s stories which were told with visuals and puppets.
Robin recently turned two of those stories into children’s books. One is called “The Contest,” a book about the Fruit of the Spirit, and the other is called “Twas the Night of Christmas”. He has also authored 5 volumes of devotional books called, 3 Minutes Alone with God. Each entry is a product of his personal biblical Journaling.
These and his other writings are available on his website called Christian Perspectives at www.ramckinley.com. When you visit this site, you can sign-up for newly written devotions as they come out which will be emailed to you.
Presently Robin is the pastor of Calvary Christian Center in Pottstown, PA. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He and his wife make their home in Birdsboro, Pa. He also serves as the president of the local ministerium. He and Cindy have two married sons and four grandchildren.
