Spiritual Leprosy

Poverty. It's a big deal. I knew this fact before this weekend, but there's something about spending 42 hours homeless that really drives this in deep.

From Friday night to Sunday afternoon, we took part in a poverty simulation. I am not supposed to give out any details of the experience so that other people who do it in the future don't know what's coming, so I'll be vague.

I had no money and few possessions. I didn't shower. I ate, but not regularly or much. I slept outside. It was exhausting, hard, and eye opening. I will never forget it.

Leprosy is a very common ailment in the Bible. And today. There are entire leprosy camps in India and countries like it. When you have leprosy, your body becomes numb as it falls apart. You don't feel your finger falling off, or your nose--you are completely numb to the feeling of pain in that place.

I think I may have spiritual leprosy. I think most people do. The things that break God's heart, that as Christians are supposed to break ours, don't really affect us. We are numb to the pain. Starving children or homeless families should cause us pain, heart ache, but a lot of times they don't. Our hearts have become numb.

It's too easy to focus on our own lives, to see the world through our middle-class, privileged lenses. We are blessed, but that doesn't mean we should become numbed to the pain of the world. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Jesus was poor. He was homeless. He ate with the prostitutes. Hung out with the tax collectors. Touched the untouchables. Healed the sick. He felt their pain. Their rejection. Their emptiness. And He helped them.

And so should we. Sometimes it requires giving money, sometimes not. Something I learned this weekend is that sometimes, people just need to tell their stories. They need someone to listen, to pray for them. I love hearing stories. If I can give up 15 to 20 minutes of my time, who know the affect that will have on their day.

I am praying that I can be moved as Jesus was moved, that I cry His tears, that my numb heart is broken and filled with Him. He is more than enough for me.

Until next time, listen to someone's story.