Lepers and Stones

He healed ten lepers once. They knew that He could do it. So when He said to them “Run and show yourselves to the priests” - they ran. It was only as they were running to obey His command that they found that their foul corruption of body had been healed. But only one of the ten turned back and fell down at His feet to give Him thanks. All ten of them had been healed - but nine of them had been healed only skin deep. In reality, only one of them had been made whole.

They picked up stones to throw at Him once. The stones had names. The stones of ingratitude and thanklessness hurt Him, but the one that hurt Him the most was the stone of indifference. Or perhaps it was the stone of contempt and superiority, - or was it the stone of self sufficiency? The other stones were called judgement, pride, selfishness, and blindness to the needs of others. We sometimes think to throw these stones at others who deserve them, but we are rotten shots. They hurt us far more than they hurt them. In reality, selfishness is no more than self destruction in slow motion (Neil A Maxwell)

They dropped their stones in utter horror and embarrassment after He silently wrote their shameful deeds in the dust for all to see. Then He said to them ”Let him that is without sin cast the first stone”. To the traumatised woman taken in adultery He gently said “Go, . . . and sin no more”. But still they hated him and would not receive him when He told them “I AM the Light of the World”. “Thou bearest record of thyself” they blustered “Thy record is not true”

He answered “If you believe not that I AM He of whom the prophets have spoken, you shall die in your sins. For this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil – therefore you come not unto me. But God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might have eternal life. I AM come into this world that the blind might see, and that they which see might be made blind”

With contempt they said to him “Are we blind also?” He answered them saying “If you were blind you would have no sin. But now you say we see therefore your sin remains. Ye hear indeed but you understand not; and see ye indeed, but you perceive not. The heart of this people is fat and their ears are heavy. They shut their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”

“By what authority doest thou these things?” they arrogantly demanded of Him. After telling them the story of the two sons He said “John came unto you in the way of righteousness and ye believed him not. But when the publicans and the harlots saw it, they believed and were baptised. But ye, when ye had seen it repented not. Therefore the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.”

“Say we not well of thee that thou are a Samaritan and hast a devil” they screamed and spat at Him, enraged, and took up their stones again. But He, passing through the midst of them, went his way.