Who Do You See as a Leper?

The television series The Chosen has inspired many since its first season in 2017.  It is truly an exceptional television series.

Unlike some attempts to convey the story of Christ in film, The Chosen has invested heavily in historical context.  It brings alive many aspects of life in Jesus’ time that are frequently misunderstood by many living in today’s modern world.

Throughout the series, characters with leprosy are presented to the viewer along with the repulsion of those around them.  It is difficult for us to truly understand the fear and abhorrence imparted to those thus afflicted in the time of Christ.

How the Afflicted Were Treated

Much of Jewish law focuses on cleanliness of individuals for the protection of the community.  The book of Numbers provides clear direction on how the community should deal with someone who is “unclean” (Numbers 5:2-3).

“Order the Israelites to expel from camp everyone with a scaly infection, and everyone suffering from a discharge, and everyone who has become unclean by contact with a corpse. Male and female alike, you shall expel them. You shall expel them from the camp so that they do not defile their camp, where I dwell in their midst.”

Certain diseases were believed do to be punishment for sin.  As such, Leviticus  requires those stricken to behave in a very certain way (Leviticus 13:45-46).

“The garments of one afflicted with a scaly infection shall be rent and the hair disheveled, and the mustache covered.  The individual shall cry out, “Unclean, unclean!”

As long as the infection is present, the person shall be unclean. Being unclean, that individual shall dwell apart, taking up residence outside the camp.”

Jewish law did provide a pathway back to the community if one was healed.  However, ritual purification was a lengthy process (Leviticus 14).

(Note that there is some debate on whether the diseases referenced in Leviticus were leprosy, some form of skin cancer, impetigo, vitiligo, psoriasis, or tzaraat, a Hebrew word mistranslated as leprosy.  This debate, however, is not relevant here.)

Seeing Lepers as People

In the Book of Genesis, the foundation is set: “God created mankind in his image; in the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). This does not change when one sins.  This does not change when someone has leprosy.  Even a person with leprosy is created in the image of God.  But when considering how people actually behaved when encountering a leper, this fact seems to have been forgotten.

Throughout the New Testament, Christ continually reaches out to scorned and belittled.  When Christ was born, shepherds, those at the bottom of the social order, were the first to visit him.  Matthew was a tax collector, someone hated by Jews as a sellout.  And Christ reached out to cripples, the blind, and even lepers, throughout His public life.

While most would not come within six feet of leper, Christ actually touched them.  His healings of those with this disease are recorded in the Gospel’s of Matthew 8, Mark 1:40-45, and Luke (5:12-16, and 17:11-19).   Anyone who repented and truly desired His grace was given mercy by Christ, much to the chagrin of the religious leaders at the time.

Who Are the Lepers in Today’s World

Leprosy is uncommon in the west.  The United States reports less than 200 cases a year.  Regardless, many people in today’s society are treated like lepers.

As I reflect back on my life, I, too, have treated people like lepers.  Since then, I have been humbled.

When I was very young, I looked at former felons and other ‘ex-cons’ with contempt.  I would never consider associating with such a person.  However, our Lord has a way of humbling us.

Metal mills are dirty, dangerous places with difficult, hot, and often physically demanding work.  Few people desire to work in them.  This creates opportunities for former convicts.

As a professional working in metal mills, I found myself working side by side with felons.  Of course, people do not go around announcing their status as a former convict.  I would learn about my colleagues’ pasts over lunch or during a lull on the floor, but always after building a relationship.

It was very humbling for me to find myself depending on those I used to see as lepers.  In many cases, as we worked together, I was trusting these men with my life just as they trusted me with theirs.

Later when I began to interview candidates for the mills, it was even more difficult.  Does one risk hiring a recovering drug addict?  Is it worth investing in training someone without being sure he will pass his next drug test?

Most of these men (not all) were trying to rebuild their lives.  Was I taken advantage of?  Yes, one time I was played, but it was that one time only.  That occasion was not the norm.  The norm was men on journey towards redemption.

Who Are Your Lepers?

This begs the question, who else do I treat as a leper?  And who do you treat as a leper?

When reflecting on this, the answer may not be so obvious.  We may treat those who are prideful as lepers, such as the ‘cocky’ young kid who is working hard to advance in his line of work.  Or perhaps we treat the old timer as a leper because he is set in his ways, even though he knows his level of expertise far exceeds ours.

How about a person with arms sleeved with tattoos? And what about the person who would not wear a mask during the lockdown, or, conversely, those who mindlessly wore masks unsuitable for protection against even large particulate cement dust let alone a virus?

Who are we treating as lepers?

Each of us often sees different people as modern-day lepers.  In many cases, our perceptions are based on irrational biases.  What we should be doing is looking at each other as people created in the image of God.