The priests must spend time examining lepers?

Leviticus 13-14 describes laws concerning leprosy and the priest's role in examining and helping those with this this dreaded and contagious disease. Part of the reason for taking leprosy so serious, was so that the rest of the people could be protected from catching it.

Let's be clear, being given the job of examining/helping lepers is to be put in harms way. It might be nice to think this task is totally irrelevant to anything we deal with in  ministry today!

After all -

As believers, we have Jesus as our High priest. Jesus died on the cross to provide a perfect and final sacrifice for our sins. By believing upon Jesus and His work, our sins are forgiven, we are reconciled to God and all the effects of the fall, including diseases like leprosy, will be removed from us when we leave here to go to Him or He returns to rule and reign! Not only does Jesus fulfill the role of priests today, but leprosy has been eradicated from much of the world today through medical advancements.

So how is the OT priest spending time with lepers relevant today? I am sure there is much that could be said, but I was moved as I read it yesterday and realized how those who were to serve as spiritual leaders for Israel were constantly put in harms way for the sake of the people.

Imagine having to spend your day examining lepers! Would you feel afraid at times? Would you be rejected by others, simply because they new you spent time with lepers and could be contagious? What if you decided the risk was too great? What would the cost be for the individuals and the people as a whole?

To truly do ministry as Jesus calls us to do, is to be put in harms way for the good of the people -

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. (NKJV)

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."