UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN
The LIFE Bible Studies will take the Bible at its Word and will serve as the primary source for examination and study. For the purposes of this Biblical exploration, the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible will be the primary source, while relying on the Hebrew interpretation of key words or concepts as presented in the KJV, in order to bring the original text to life (John 1:14, II Corinthians 3:3, James 1:22). Historical documents or occurrences or supporting commentaries may be used to support the Biblical findings but will not be used in place of the Bible.
Scriptural Support
- Revelation 21:5, Titus 1:9 – God’s Word is faithful – they will never change or let you down
- Jeremiah 20:9, 23:29 – God’s word is like a fire in the bone
- Hebrews 4:12 – The Word of God is a discerner of thoughts
- Proverbs 27:6 – the Word of God is a friend and the word may sometimes wound us, but it does so for our own good
- John 3:19-20 – The Word of God is our faith light which has come into the world not to condemn but to save us but if we love darkness rather than light, then we reject and hate the light or fire of the word
To Be Continued…
Scripture
Leviticus 13:45-46 — “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall [a]dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.
II Kings 7:3-4 — Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now, therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”
Lessons Learned
We were officially classified as “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN!” When workers from Puntas Arenas were loading the supplies and the food onto our ship, they were dressed in full hazmat suits. They stayed as far away from our ship as possible, meaning that our food and supplies were often swinging in the wind over the ocean, causing gasps and prayers that they would land on our ship and not in the water.
The fear of the unknown and contamination caused others to look upon us with fear and disdain. Borders were turning us away left and right. One cough, one tissue being dispensed, or one bead of sweat resulted in hate stares and accusations.
I began to feel unloved and unaccepted, distrustful and disrespected, abandoned and alone. And these feelings then led me to act as one who was unclean. My shoulders slumped forward. My brows furrowed and my frown became permanently fixed.
And for the first time, I could empathize with the lepers of Biblical times. In Biblical times, people suffering from the skin disease of leprosy were treated as outcasts. They had to leave their homes, their families and all that was familiar to live on the outskirts of town with others who were also considered lepers. They couldn’t go into town, they couldn’t interact with others, and they couldn’t even go into the temple or take part in worship. And to make matters worse, they had to ring a bell and shout unclean, unclean if anyone were to approach them.
While in my morose state of “uncleanliness,” God reminded me of four leprous men found in II Kings 7:3-4.
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”
See, these lepers were already considered outcasts with nothing left to lose. So they reasoned they could either remain in their leprous state of insignificance, doubt, fear, hopelessness, and inevitable death…or they could take a risk and pursue life. And that, my friends, is leper logic.
I learned that being “unclean” is as much a mental and emotional state as it is a physical one. Sure, the lepers had a contagious physical condition. Sure, many were contracting and transmitting the highly contagious COVID-19 virus and experiencing the associated symptoms. But what these lepers taught me was that you don’t have to dwell in a mental, emotional or spiritual state of uncleanliness.
My Aha moment from this experience: Life and death and blessings and curses have been set before me. It’s up to me to choose (Deuteronomy 30:19). I can choose hopelessness or happiness, defeat or victory, death or life.
Lessons Lived
So, as I watched the loading of supplies onto the deck, I chose to get out of my head and to put things in perspective. Of course, workers would wear hazmat suits. They would have been foolish not to. At that time, so much was unknown about COVID, so taking precautions was wise. Additionally, no one had actually referred to me as “unclean.” It was me who had made assumptions about the thoughts and
perceptions of others. And my assumptions weren’t based on facts or reality. I got caught up in the angst and anxiety swirling all around me and began to think and act as one who was unclean. So I chose to square my shoulders, stick my chest out, and walk with my head held high. And I chose to shake off the “victimness” vibes and find ways to support, comfort and cheer others. Like the lepers, I purposed to live.
Reflections
- How does II King 7:3-4 speak to you?
- How might the perceptions of others be impacting your perceptions of yourself?
- How would you describe your mental, emotional, and spiritual state?
- How might your life be different if you were to choose joy, peace, hope and life? ∙ What are your personal LIFE Lessons?
- Liberation: What new insights have you gained that have freed you from past thoughts or practices?
- Inspiration: In what ways have you been spiritually, emotionally or mentally motivated to live for Christ?
- Fortification: What additional scriptural texts, passages or stories can reinforce and strengthen you against the attacks of the enemy?
- Edification: How might you share your story to edify others and bring glory to God?
Playlist
Prayer
