Incredible Moment with a Leper

Gire's description of the life of a leper gave me a whole new insight into why the leper spread the story of his healing even though Jesus had specifically told him to "tell no one." A person who has lived with being shunned, no sense of feeling in his extremities, no personal interaction with others for ages, would of course strike up a conversation with anyone who would listen, because now he could. I used to think what an ungrateful clod... he can't follow the simplest directions and now look, Jesus can't even walk the streets openly because of his big mouth. But now I think he was probably so absorbed (as Gire describes) in checking out his fingers and toes, he didn't even hear, let alone register the stern warning to keep his mouth shut.

I've thought before that this Scripture speaks to a number of issues... Christ's amazing compassion and willingness to touch someone considered by the world to be unclean, the man's own amazing faith and humility in saying "if you are willing" (also translated as "if you choose", which I like better) and his subsequent disobedience. How many times have I prayed... if you will only do this for me God, I will do whatever you tell me forever... and then in the excitement of the fulfillment or the aftermath of its glow, promptly forget my promise.

I seem to take three steps backward for every two forward, and yet God does not give up hope.