Skeletons in the Closet
On his way to Jerusalem Jesus passed through the border region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one village, ten men approached him, but they kept their distance, for they were lepers. They shouted to him, “Mighty Lord, our wonderful Master! Won’t you have mercy on us and heal us?” When Jesus stopped to look at them, he spoke these words: “Go to be examined by the Jewish priests.”
They set off, and they were healed while walking along the way. One of them, a Samaritan, when he discovered that he was completely healed, turned back to find Jesus, shouting out joyous praises and glorifying God. When he found Jesus, he fell down at his feet and thanked him over and over, saying to him, “You are the Messiah.” “So where are the other nine?” Jesus asked. “Weren’t there ten who were healed? They all refused to return to give thanks and give glory to God except you, a foreigner from Samaria?”
Then Jesus said to the healed man lying at his feet, “Arise and go. It was your faith that brought you salvation and made you whole.” Luke 17
The first thing we notice about this passage are these men are all believers. We know this by the way they called out to Jesus. “Mighty Lord, our wonderful Master!” They did everything they were supposed to do- confessed, believed and cried out! Let’s lean into the teaching from Sunday. This is a message that can transform your life if you apply everything you hear.
We, the church, have to stop showing up to a place like it’s a gym to watch everyone else work out leave thinking we will change. Transformation doesn’t happen that way.
What is the first breakthrough these men received? Acknowledging their problem/issue. They displayed their need for mercy and healing. A lot of us try to hide our problems/issues from others and even Jesus. We lock them up behind a secret door of our heart trying to pretend they are not there. Have you ever heard the term “skeletons in your closet?”
Sometimes it’s not intentional. You legit don’t see it right or you’ve gotten accustomed to hiding it so long it’s just a part of who you think you are. You have to expose yourself to His pure light. You must allow Him to show you these areas. Choose to open the closet door and let Him see. He stands at the door and knocks but you have the choice to open it.
The truth is He will expose these areas with the words of others. It could be your children, grandchildren, parents, co-workers, friends, family or even a stranger. When the comments come you have a choice to get offended or bring it before the Lord. Abba, is there any truth to what this person has said? You must give Him permission to answer.
This is why it’s important to be planted in a Kingdom family to give others permission to speak truth into your life. Almost always others can see our skeletons before we acknowledge them openly.
As believers/lovers of His presence, we must come into the fullness of who He says we are, and our lives have to represent that on the inside and outside. Jesus deserves a life lived out in the open for His glory.
