Lev. 13
I still don’t get all these detailed laws. What’s up with the heavy focus on leprous diseases? A brief search on the issue suggested two possibilities. One is that leprosy is a very graphic representation of the effect of sin in our lives (the way it rots and spreads). The other is that leprosy, because it deadens the nerves, is a reminder that pain – struggle, suffering, discomfort – is not always a bad thing. Pain can be a warning communication to us that we should not ignore. Just as a hot stove equals bad burns, a compromised conscience can cause us serious damage. We should take care not to deaden our ‘nerves’ to God’s guidance.
I’m not sure if I’m articulating any of that properly, and I don’t really know if that’s actually the answer for the focus on leprosy. But both scenarios do make for a nice analogy. So, though I don’t know what it all means, I can see that it does add some significance to the lepers Jesus healed during His time on earth.
Mark 7:14-37
I love this story of the Syrophoenician (Gentile) woman. Jesus basically calls her a dog (speaking in parables again, but…ya know….). But she doesn’t get offended. No, instead she acknowledges what He said about her and boldly stays focused on what is possible and what she came for. What an attitude and a spirit of faith! One other thing – I would love to know why sometimes Jesus merely speaks a word (or sometimes says nothing and is just touched) for healing, and other times He does these gymnastics of sticking fingers in ears, spitting, making mud pies, or whatever for healing. Does it have to do with the faith of the one being healed (or doing the asking)? I’m curious…