Four Lepers.

Hit the ground and run? Or hit the ground and rot?

2 Kings 7 v 3-8.

³ And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

⁴ If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

⁵ And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.

⁶ For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

⁷ Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

⁸ And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

—

Looks like a grim predicament. Kicked out of the city for being a leper. A wicked, desensitising disease that ultimately causes flesh to rot and body parts to drop off. No job, no means of support or ability to be self sufficient. Isolated from any family. No prospects. No hope. Just a slow, humiliating, lonesome death, maybe with a few others who are in the same boat.

Maybe you’re not getting it quite so bad as the men sitting outside the city walls but you can identify with at least some of what was written. Maybe you’re ill and weak. Maybe you’ve had a recent diagnosis of something that has knocked you off your feet. Maybe you have a job but it’s uncertain, or it’s coming to an end. Or it’s not sufficient to pay the bills any more. Or you hate it with every fibre of your being. Maybe your family is still intact but only just. Maybe some relationships are hanging by a thread or about to collapse entirely. Maybe you have some savings that are keeping you afloat for now but they are running out fast and you don’t know what to do. Maybe a group that you’ve been part of for a long time, that you relied upon for fellowship and support, don’t want to know you anymore for whatever reason. Maybe you look around every day at the way the world is headed and you’re filled with despair. One things for sure. You’re not alone. Even if it feels like you are.

Of course, it sucks. Nobody would want to be in any of the positions described above. And if you’re reading this and you are dealing with one or more of those situations, I’ll bet you wished that you weren’t. As life plays out, there are events and circumstances that get thrust upon us, like a proverbial grenade tossed into our lap. There’s a big bang, damage is caused, both directly and collaterally; then the dust begins to settle and you take stock of whatever remains. If anything.

Some say theres nothing more dangerous than a man or woman with nothing left to lose. Or no fear of consequence. Having your back against the wall with a tidal wave of pain, despair or opposition bearing down on you is not necessarily a bad thing. The circumstances maybe dire, the outlook maybe bad. Maybe. After all, the only way is forward, or up. Or, stay still and drown or be consumed.

So back to the four lepers. They begin to talk amongst themselves. They are all in the same position. They all understand each other. They have no illusions as to the state they are in. And as they penny dropped, they all began to say the same thing one to another. Why do we sit here until we die?

They were in full agreement. If we sit here, we die. If we go back into the city, we die. If we go forward, we might die. We will likely die. But there’s a possibility that we won’t.

Once they reached that conclusion, the only two choices left were simple. Action or inaction. And that’s what getting out of a hole or a mess usually boils down to. Action or inaction. You can analyse where you are or where you stand until the cows come home. But ultimately, what will you do about it? Hit the ground and run? Or hit the ground and rot?

So they chose action. Nothing left to lose.

Action did not guarantee deliverance. But inaction guaranteed death.

As black and white as it gets. So things ended up going their way. They started the day hungry, thirsty, broke and scruffy. They ended up fed, watered, fantastically rich and fully kitted out in new clothes. It may not have ended up that way. They know that. They acknowledged that. But they were dead men walking anyway.

Granted, they still had leprosy and would eventually die. But then again, if you don’t have leprosy you’ll eventually die anyway, possibly much sooner than you think.

So consider keeping communication channels open with like minded individuals who are in the same boat as you. If you know any. The principle applies individually or as a group. Unless someone has experienced what you’re experiencing, has gone through what you’re going through or is in the same predicament at the same time, they won’t understand your position fully.

Lepers understand each other better than anyone else ever could.

Rick.