Excerpt from Luke 5:12-15

"Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy.  When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, 'Lord if you choose, you can make me clean.'  Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, 'I do choose.  Be made clean.'  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And he ordered him to tell no one.  'Go,' he said, 'and show yourself to the priest, and as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing for a testimony to them.'  But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad..."

Reflection by Kenneth L. Samuel

At some point during my years in seminary I heard this directive: "Tell the world about Jesus; use words if you have to."  Since then, I've often thought about how to preach Jesus without using words.  It's a daunting task, indeed, but it's a task that has never been more necessary.  All of us (clergy and lay) who are called to share the Good News of Christ in this world must never rely on words alone.  Our task is to make the word flesh – to give it flesh and bone, substance and essence in the personal, social and political lives of people.

Word without flesh may say a lot, but the bottom line is that it must also show a lot.  In essence, Jesus told the man cured of leprosy: "Don't tell anyone about me, just show everyone the result of your faith in my word."  And with no words, the word of Jesus spread abroad. 

What do people see as a result of our faith in God?  Do they see relationships restored and rescued from the brink collapse?  Do they see lives saved from the devastations of drugs, depression and despair?    Do they see the presumed compassion of the church realized in public policies that serve those who have been historically and systemically disenfranchised?  Do they see the church's hope of redemption concretized in programs and policies that rehabilitate and not just incarcerate?  Is there any evidence of healing as a result of our faith in God's word?  What do we really have to show for our faith? 

In a real sense, everyone is from Missouri, the "Show Me" state.

Prayer

Dear God, please allow my faith in you to be manifested in my healing and in the healing of those whom you allow me to touch.  Speak to me and speak through me in ways and actions that are much louder than words.  Amen.

About the Author Kenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.