VOID

"the state of non-existence", "empty", "lacking entirely"


Ned's other lesson on Sunday was also taken from the book of Mark, chapter 1:40-45, the story of the man healed of leprosy. As I listened to Ned describe the plight of the leper, it hit me how "void" this man really was. In that time period, in that place, in that culture, no one tried to cure the leper, there was no foundation, no support group, no "race for a cure", no--- these lepers were cast out of the city. They were no longer allowed to live with their families. They could no longer trade at the local marketplace. They could not work, they could not play and most importantly, they could not worship. Their daily life consisted of begging outside the city gate, crying, "unclean, unclean" as a warning to anyone who dared approach, every day scrounging for food as they wondered which part of their body would rot and fall away next. It is a life we cannot imagine, and a life most of us could not endure. A life without friends, a life without relief, a life without hope--a life that was empty, completely lacking anything and everything. And while the pain was very real and never ending, and while the heat and the thirst, the hunger and the daily humiliation offered assurance that life was still present, to the rest of the world, it was if the leper did not exist. His life was one that was truly void!


As I thought about this man's life, I remember feeling very grateful that thanks to medical progress, leprosy is not a problem our country faces. I am glad that leprosy has not caused "void" people in my life. But then I remember that one can be "void" without having a contagious disease. I recently watched a video on my friend Chris's blog (http://chrisclouse.wordpress.com/). Chris has a great blog and I am often touched by his posts. His July 5th post entitled "Does anybody hear her?" was especially moving. I could not figure out how to link the video so I hope Chris doesn't mind if you go to his place first. Please check this out. The video shows a young woman--a woman who in spirit is a leper! She is void of everything. She has no one. In desperation, she looks for healing, but when she arrives at a place of worship, a place that should be filled with other seekers, it is as if she is shouting, "unclean, unclean". The other worship goers practically run away, as if afraid to be contaminated. They take one look at her, outside the door of their place of worship, and they quickly rush in, closing the door behind them, leaving her outside, an unclean soul segregated from the "clean". You can see the sense of hopelessness and pain in this young woman's face. You can see the void in her life and it makes your heart hurt. You see the way "christians" treat her, the way they ignore her and you feel shame. This woman is as "void" as the leper of Mark 1.
I wonder how many "void" people we come across everyday? I wonder if they can see in our eyes that we believe they are "unclean"? Is our discomfort and distaste evident in our words? Do they notice when we pretend we do not see them? Are they fooled? Does their heart hurt when we quicken our pace and hold our child's hand more tightly, mumbling to our child through smiling white teeth, telling our child to walk faster and not look? Does our behavior reinforce their emptiness, their lack of everything, that they are indeed "void"? Does it break our Savior's heart?
This world is filled with "lepers"----they are behind us in the line at Wal-Mart, they are in the cubicle right next to us, in the house down the street, on the corner downtown. They are void--they carry inside them a God-shaped hole, a hole that nothing else will fill. They are hungry for salvation! They could be filled----God can use us to bring them to Him. It seems not only are we not bringing them in, but often by our attitudes, we are keeping them out! That should cause us shame---! Unlike leprosy, there is a cure for this spiritual void. They no longer have to stay outside the "city". They no longer have to be unclean. Please go watch the video and open your eyes, see the lepers, see the void ones, open your minds, open your hearts, bring them in, in to a healing and filling that only happens at the feet of the Savior.

Peace
Neva