Contrariness seems to be second nature to some people. They want to do the opposite of what they are told. We see an example of this in Mark 1:40-45.What about you? Does this description fit you?
1. Interestingly the leper didn’t doubt the power of Jesus. He didn’t doubt His ability to heal him. The issue, as far as the leper was concerned, was not whether Jesus could heal him, but would he be willing to?
Do we fall into this category of being unwilling to believe Jesus is unwilling to meet our deepest longest and requests? Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came ‘that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ Will you take Him at His word and bring your needs to Him?
2. Others kept their distance from the leper. But Jesus was not frightened to reach out and touch this man others shunned, verse 41. Touching the leper was a physical demonstration of Jesus’ concern for this man. Who knows how long it had been since someone touched him? That simple touch must have reassured the leper and reinforced Jesus’ words. What a blessing to know someone cared!
How willing are we to reach out to the unlovely and those shunned by society?
3. The answer to the leper’s plea was both immediate and complete, verse 42.
This is the same Jesus who hears our prayers. He hasn’t changed. Why then do we hesitate to bring our need to Him?
4. Wouldn’t you think after being granted his heart’s desire, the man would implicitly obey Jesus and want to please Him? Yes, he was excited and wanted to share his news. But Jesus had given him an express command not to tell anyone but to go and show himself to the priest and offer the required sacrifices, verses 43-44. Instead the man deliberately disobeys the command of Jesus and begins to talk freely about his experience, verses 43-45.
How often do you and I willfully go against an express command of our Lord?
5. The man’s actions had far reaching consequences. Jesus could no longer enter the towns openly but ‘stayed outside in lonely places,’ verse 45.
We must be careful to obey Jesus’ commands; otherwise our disobedience could have consequences for others as well.
6. The leper asked for Jesus’help. He received exactly the answer he wanted. And yet, he went out in willful disobedience to the command of Jesus, thereby de-valuing Jesus’ gift.
Are you or I guilty of willful disobedience thereby devaluing the gift of Jesus – his blood shed for us? Jesus said if we love Him we will obey his commands, John 14:15
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