In a world of turmoil—where hope seems scarce and there seems to be no moral compass—what should the Church do? Each new day appears to bring news of another wave of tension, polarization, and disunity in the culture around us. At times, it feels like there is more bad news than good, more darkness than light.
One response for us within the church is to turn inward, where there is light to illuminate the good things that are so easily obscured by the darkness in the world. Before we became believers, the devil had us under siege in darkness much like in the story of four lepers found in 2 Kings 7.
The city of Samaria was besieged by King Ben-Hadad of Aram and his army. The siege had lasted long enough that the people of the city were beginning to starve. In 2 Kings 7:3, we are introduced to four lepers who, by law, couldn’t enter the city. Just imagine how desperate they would have been. They most likely survived on scraps thrown out of the city, but now nothing was thrown away because of the famine. In their complete hopelessness, they decided to throw themselves at the mercy of the Arameans by going to their camp to ask for food. When they arrived at the camp, they found it deserted.
Have we, like the four lepers, hoarded away the hope that we have in Jesus?
I invite you to look closely at their response. The first thing they did was satisfy their hunger, a completely understandable response. Their second response was also comprehensible for someone who had nothing—they took some things and went and hid them. After they returned, they took some more things and hid them again. Finally, something stirred in their hearts, and they spoke these words:
“Then they said to each other, ‘What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves” (2 Kings 7:9a NIV).
Occasionally, the Church can forget the power of the good news we have and that the world is desperate to hear it—the good news that will bring hope into a world that seems hopeless. Jesus paid the price for the judgment of God. We have that hope, so why do we sometimes cover it? The world around us often doesn’t recognize they need this hope. Our culture has turned from need to want and prioritized not only daily bread but daily comfort and pleasure. Have we, as Christians, also prioritized comfort and pleasure? Is that why we do not sense the urgency of sharing the good news with the world? Have we, like the four lepers, hoarded away the hope that we have in Jesus?
The people of Samaria didn’t know the Arameans had fled until the lepers looked away from themselves and out to the people around them, still desperate for food. Then, the revelation of the availability of food changed their outlook. We have access to that food and are called to share it freely with the world.
Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that He is the bread of life. This teaching was difficult for many to accept, and some responded by leaving. Jesus asked the disciples if they wanted to leave also and Peter’s response helps us understand the foundation of our mission to the world: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68 NIV). What more motivation do we need to reveal this good news to an ever-darkening world?
Our world needs words of life and hope, and the Church is positioned to offer what no other entity can. God has placed each of us individually to take the good news to that “one” individual who needs the hope and light of Jesus. Each of our churches are in a unique position to speak life and hope into our communities who are starving for good news.
Let’s challenge each other as the lepers did to not keep this good news to ourselves but to keep looking for who else needs the bread of life. The final piece of good news for us within the church is that we don’t need to do this on our own, as we read in Hebrews 13:20-21. God Himself gives us what we need to accomplish His purpose:
“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (NIV).
