Luke 17:12 As He(Jesus) was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
Lepers were forbidden by the law to have any contact with the people as leprosy was a contagious disease that had no medical remedy. They had to be dressed in rags, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and shout “unclean”, if they were in public. (Leviticus 13:45). As the flesh of a leper decomposes, toes and fingers withered and face disfigured, the soul of the leper shatters in shame. “Shame is a soul eating emotion” – C.G.Jung.
Sin is like leprosy to the soul. It stigmatizes us with shame and yells “unclean”, “unworthy” and “useless”. The quarantine rules in Leviticus for any skin disease of swelling, rash or shiny spots was 7 days of isolation which would be extended by another 7 days. After 14 days of isolation, the infected person would be pronounced unclean. These ten lepers decided to walk out of their secluded ‘leper colony’, to meet Jesus. Jesus not only dealt with the skin issue but delved deeper into their soul-shame issue. He could have healed them with a word or a touch straight away, but He got them to walk through the creepy crowd to the priest who pronounced them “unclean”. He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed (Luke 17:14). As they broke the chains of stigma and marched boldly, Jesus striped away the shame of sin and sickness.
Healing from shame is a process. The first step is to show-up in your prayer closet and become vulnerable before the Lord. Acknowledge the suffocating shameful abuse, addiction, abortion or adultery before the Lord. He knows everything that is hidden in your soul anyway.
Breaking shame and stigma is a process:
1. Skin: Leprosy is a bacterial infection called “Mycobacterium leprae” that affects the nerves, skin, upper respiratory tract, eyes, and lining of the nose. As there was no cure during Bible times, there was no way leprosy could be hidden. Similarly, “shame” will also manifest externally in our behaviour and masticate our faith-walk. The antidote to shame is exposure to light. Be honest to the Great High Priest Jesus. Talk to Him about your sin, shame and struggles. Exposure to the light heals shame.
2. Soul: The souls of the lepers that were mutilated by crying “unclean” for years had to muster courage to walk through the streets of Jerusalem. This faith-walk to the temple healed their incurable bleeding skin disease. The healing “words of Jesus” tattered blanket of shame that they were hiding behind. Step out of your comfort zone and heal from shame.
- Spirit: Shame breaks the spirit. A wounded (broken) spirit who can bear? (Proverbs 18:14). “Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change” – Brené Brown. Healing from shame will jump start the spirit. Revitalize the spirit by breaking the chain of shame.
Guilt humiliates, shame stings and stigma secludes the victim. Expose, become vulnerable before the Lord and heal from shame and stigma.
Luke 17:14b As they went, they were cleansed.
Prayer: King Jesus, help me to be obedient to your command and uproot shame from my soul that is eating into my self-image. Amen.
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