Mark 1:45
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
Have you heard something before that was so incredible that you had to tell someone? We all have at some point. Look at the speed of how fast news travels today especially with social media. Credible? That's a different story. Used to be you had to hear it on the radio, watch it on the news in the evening or read about it in tomorrow's paper.
So today we find in the gospel of Mark, the story of the leper who was healed. Jesus heals the man, tells him sternly not to tell anyone, but go to the temple and be cleansed. Well, he doesn't do that; he runs right out and tells everyone. Word spread like fire that a miracle was performed. People were looking for healing, looking for a miracle, looking for the Messiah. They couldn't help wanting to see this miracle worker in action, and this pushed Jesus into the desert. When we have a real encounter with Jesus, we cannot help but tell people. We want people to feel what we feel, experience what we have experienced. Jesus would have had to have known he would disobey his order. Frankly, I don't know why Jesus told him not to say anything. I suppose we have to be careful in our messages and how we deliver them so that they are credible and accurate to the people we want to convince. Jesus wanted to convince the priests in the temple that the man followed the law prescribed by Moses. But the man wanted them to know it was Jesus. Do you tell others about your Jesus experience and how do you tell them? You have to know your audience to communicate effectively.
