Pain - the "gift" that some don't have
In 2 Kings 5, we encounter a charasmatic hero from Aram named Naaman. Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram. Yet despite his military prowess - Naaman was a leper. The word "leprosy" probably conjures up all kinds of mental pictures ranging from snow-white skin peeling to limbs falling off. Nevertheless, movies largely have shaped the way we view leprosy, or Hansen's disease, mostly in unhelpful or unrealistic ways.
Hansen's Disease
Largely what we see of those who suffer from this cruel disease is the effect of something much deeper and more sinister. Hansen's disease (HD) is an anestheic which numbs the pain cells of the hands, feet, nose, ears, and eyes. While most diseases are feared because of their pain, this disease is disastrous because of the lack of pain associated with it. Current research has shown that in 99% of cases, HD only numbs the extremities. So how does decay happen? Well, if the nerve cells are destroyed in HD patients, then actions such as removing a hot pan from the oven with a bare hand would not cause pain - but a burn or hand blister would still be evidenced. Yancey tells a story of a time when a HD doctor tried to open a rusty storeroom lock, but it would not give. A patient, who he describes as undersized, malnourshed 10-year old, approached and offered to unlock the padlock. the boy took the key and with a quick jerk he turned the key in the lock. The doctor was amazed. But upon closer inspection, the doctor discovered that the difficult act of turning the key gashed one of the boy's fingers open - exposing his bone below. Despite the depth of the wound, the boy experienced no pain.
"These people can undergo surgery without anesthesia, and they can impress their friends with painless feats...but their lives are marked with danger" (38). Those who suffer from HD "should make all of us discard the common notion that pain is an unpleasantness to be avoided at all costs...More than anything, it [pain] frees us to enjoy normalcy on this planet" (39). Without pain, Yancey continues, "we would lead unbalanced, paranoid lives, encountering unknown dangers, never confident that we weren't destroying ourselves" (39).
A Thought
Though the Bible describes Naaman as a leper - that was a fairly common word used to describe anyone who had any kind of skin disease. Maybe Naaman had what we call Hansen's Disease today or perhaps he had a really bad rash - we don't know. Had Naaman been an Israelite, he would have been relegated to the outskirts [or margins] of society where contact with "the diseased" was forbidden. What a way to go through life - to never be allowed to experience relationship with other human beigns except perhaps with others who have a skin disease as well. We were all created to experience relationship in this life and to experience it to the fullest. Can you imagine life without being able to feel the grass between your toes or feel the soft touch of a loved one's hand?
More to come....
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