Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Kings 7:9 (New International Version)

9 Then they said to each other, “We’re not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves.

Some background: The city was under siege and had been for months. People in the city were starving. Some lepers figured that they had nothing to lose, so they left the city and went out to see if the attacking army would feed them. The lepers found that the attacking army had gone, leaving behind food, clothing, and all sorts of valuables.

The lepers ate to their satisfaction, before realizing what is shown of verse 9 above. They had good news and they should be sharing it with others. They went back into the city and gladly told everyone of their good news.

Strange as it may seem, it is often hard to share good news with other people. Many people won’t accept good news.

“There is no free lunch.”

“That sounds too good to be true.”

and

“What’s the catch?”

Another thing that hinders people hearing good news is their past.

Some people have been hurt so bad that they cannot hear anything good.

The grammar in that statement isn’t exactly correct, but I have seen the statement in practice. Some people have been bruised and battered – not physically but emotionally and spiritually. People in their lives have been cruel to them to the point where they do not accept that someone would want to share good news.

What the lepers said thousands of years ago holds true today. As Christians we have good news, and it is not right for us not to share it.