Kingdom Building

October 12, 2019

Scripture Reading: Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

Oklahoma was ranked 48th in United Health Foundation’s 2019 America’s Health Rankings Health of Women and Children Report.

Jesus was a healer. He understood to impact of good health on all aspects of a person’s life. Yet I live in a state, described to be part of the Bible belt, where health care outcomes trend downward.  Part of that trend is related to behavior, part to lack of health care services in city service deserts and in rural areas where some must drive many miles to find the nearest hospital to have a baby or treat an accident victim or provide immediate care for a stroke victim.

Some people cannot afford health care. Oklahoma chose not to participate in the Medicaid expansion part of the Affordable Care Act leaving many adults with low incomes without insurance. Even those who are lucky enough to have insurance or Medicare cannot afford the copays required. The cost of health care is unknown. Of course, that is impossible. What is charged for health care should be somehow related to the actual cost of health care, but it is not because the actual cost is not calculated. Drugs are priced at the highest rate for profit the market can bear. That might work for diamond rings, it does not work for insulin necessary to sustain life.

If we are to model our lives after Jesus, are we called to be healers too? If so, how do we do that in the modern world where lepers are no longer shunned in the streets. but many homeless people are? As followers of God we are called to do justice, there is no other area of advocacy more important than bringing the cost of health care down and increasing the number of people who can access it.

Prayer: Lord, help us become advocates for quality, affordable, accessible health care. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.