A small community of people all infected acutely with varying stages of leprosy were confined in a colony of the most despicable conditions. Each person exists from day to day with the knowledge of his or her imminent death; the routine was interrupted only by the visible discoveries of the disease’s progression. All ages are represented, no one is immune, no hope exists.
In this group lives a young girl named Sally. She unwraps the stump with which she used to hold her Mom’s hand. But her Mom is no longer with her, and she dismally scrapes the oozing demonstration of her own eventual, similar fate. She looks around and sees only more of the same. Disease. Dread. Despair. And most dismal is the reality of no hope for healing.
No hope… No hope…No hope.
Sally finds her world turned upside down one morning as her eyes follow the noise of a great commotion toward the entrance of the colony. A knight has entered, and as she runs closer, he beckons with great compassion the oozing, suffering child to come to his arms. He takes her back through the entrance gate to his own refuge just outside the colony’s walls.
She is speechless. She didn’t know this place even existed. But here she finds help for her rotting flesh, care for her weary body, nourishment and protection. In the days ahead as she begins to heal, she realizes the place is filled with recovering sufferers like herself. Each one of them had been rescued by the knight and given a life-restoring gift. She is filled with overwhelming gratitude and a deep love for this one who saved her.
Sally wakes one day to find 2 photos lying next to her bed. One is a photo of the day she was taken from the colony. In it she lies on the ground, broken and covered with filth. At first she wishes to tear it up, but instead she takes a second look and realizes it reminds her anew of the awesome love and thanksgiving she has for this knight. He has rescued & healed her! He has not only given her hope, but the fulfillment of that hope: life itself.
The second photo is a stunning portrait of the knight himself. Though a photo could not do justice to his magnificence, she revels in his splendor, and places this portrait on top of the other. Her heart again explodes with gratitude and love.
As the days pass, she leaves her room to discover a community of busy-ness all around her. Completely recovered transplants like herself involve themselves in all the duties required to meet the needs of the group, including the suffering who are being brought in. Sally discovers the Knight’s rescue efforts are continual, beckoning to healing and life the ailing and dying. The recovered ones facilitate this with their hard work.
Sally is passionate about her chance to help with the efforts. As she regains her strength, she joins in the duties with a spirit of joy and thanksgiving. Each morning as she awakens she sees the portrait of the Knight, and occasionally glimpses quickly at the photo of herself beneath it. Any hesitation or lethargy vanishes as she is reminded of where she came from and to whom she owes her life. She continues to observe all that goes on in this community and eagerly yearns to learn more of the Knight and his goodness. She begins to feel part of a family, and realizes the common bond they all share, as well as the unique way they all work together toward their unified goal.
One afternoon Sally is beckoned to the office of the Knight’s Assistant where he directs her with his smile to sit and do not be uneasy! He needs her help. A problem has been detected, and his probing eyes bore into her as his words describe his pain:
“For long we have labored under the Knight’s command to care for those he rescued, restoring, teaching, and then enabling them to become a functioning part of our community. At first, most are exuberantly grateful and take to their new roles with glad hearts. Varying duties are assigned, camaraderie abounds, and the Knight’s mission is being achieved. “
The Assistant pauses he struggles with his words,
“But lately, a lethargy has taken root. An inappropriate concern with the duties of their own lives, even a preoccupation with details of their service, seem to be accosting the people instead of an awareness of and concern for the people they serve. Just last week, a worker with a load of fuel walked right past a fallen, newly-rescued man. She was so busy with her “task” she missed the object of her work, and didn’t even see him!And equally as grave is the growing difficulty I’ve had in securing help to accompany the Knight & me outside the gates to bring the suffering in. It seems there is so much going on inside of these walls, that there is little interest or time to engage in work outside our haven. This is not the design nor the desire of the Knight.”
The Assistant looked expectantly at Sally as he continued.
“You, Sally, seem to have avoided this error. And so it is your help that I request. Please divulge to me the “secret” of your fervent focus and unrelenting dedication. I desire to share it with the rest.”
Sally pauses to reflect for a moment on his words. She is not even aware that she possesses any “secret” but attempts to put her finger on the source of her passion. Her thoughts lead her to the photos, and she smiles.
“Kind Sir, it is no ‘secret’,” she replies, “but simply a response to remembering from where I came, and to whom I owe so much.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“When you were dead in your sins…, God made you alive with Christ.” Colossians 2:13
”Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks for the reminder. The debt we owed. The price that was paid. The call to share this wondrous gift of love and redemption. Reading your story I was reminded of the song, "Does anybody hear her," by Casting Crowns. How many people do we pass by every day who might be searching for hope in a dark place?
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