I started thinking this today after reading Mark 1:40-45. This leper comes up to Jesus and asks "If you will, you can make me clean." Jesus is moved with pity, stretches out his hand, touches and heals the man. Of course the man is excited. His life has just been given back to him. Not just his physical life but his social life. Lepers were not high on the social invite list. They had nothing and were viewed as nothing. Jesus restored everything to this guy.

Now we are faced with the strange obedience request. Jesus tells him to go and present himself to the priests and offer his cleansing as Moses commanded, as proof to the priests. Ok, that's not so odd.

But the part that Jesus said just prior to this is the interesting part. Jesus tells the man "See that you say nothing to anyone..."

"What? Seriously? Say nothing about what just happened? You just gave me back my life and You want me to say nothing about it? Jesus, I'm not sure that is really what you meant. I will be helping your cause if I tell people." Maybe these were the thoughts that were rolling around in his head. Maybe he was overrun by the excitement of what just happened and didn't hear what Jesus said not to do. Whatever the case was he went and told everyone and this really made troubles for Jesus.

Mark tells us that at this point Jesus could no longer openly enter a town. He had to stay out in desolate places. Sure, people still came to Him by the thousands and extraordinary things were done, but this man still did not walk in this request for strange obedience. God is still in charge and this didn't shock Him, but who knows how this may have changed history. Maybe there was just that one person who didn't make it out to the desolate places to see Jesus. Maybe they missed that face to face encounter with the very Son of God. Just because of one mans actions.

What are you being asked to do that looks like strange obedience? What is God asking of you that just doesn't seem to fit when we view it with our earthly minds?

Let's discuss this. I'd love to hear from you.

What could have happened had this man obeyed?

What is holding you back from strange obedience?

What may happen if you do or don't do this obedience?