Causes and responses

In Jesus' time, people looked for causes for disease and troubles, due to lack of understanding or simply searching for a place to lay blame. Thus, when a person was ill, it was assumed it was due to something wrong that that person had done, and he or she was being punished. Notice that I said, "In Jesus' time....." Yet, don't we also do that today? We often think or say that if a person had taken better care of himself or herself, or not done that, or done this, that he or she wouldn't be suffering. In the case of Peter's mother-in-law, Jesus saw the cause of her fever as that of evil, lay his hands on her, and told the fever to leave. With the leper, he again used his healing touch and words, and healed the man of a dreaded disease that was regarded as a sign of impurity of spirit, as well as body--evil. Jesus knew that disease and illness are evil, because they take away the lives that God intends for us to live--lives of wholeness and well-being. In both of these cases, faith plays a strong part, both in that of the person in need (leper), and in that of the loved ones (mother-in-law).

As to responses, the recipients of Jesus' healing responded positively, Peter's mother-in-law by serving Jesus and his followers, and the leper by telling others of what had happened. They shared their joy and gratitude in different ways, but definitely publicly and outwardly.

I must remember to view the healing needs of others (and myself) for what they are--yet another way of attempting to keep us separated from God and his desires for us. I must call upon my faith and that of others as sources of power to bring God's children, individually and corporately, into the fullness of his kingdom, and to always give credit where it is due.