It’s possible you may never have heard of Hansen's Disease. It doesn’t get a lot of media attention. And if it does ring a bell, it might be more like: "Wasn't that on an episode of The X-Files?”
You may, however, know Hansen's by its other name: leprosy.
It's likely you've also never heard of Dr. Paul Brand, the Leonardo da Vinci of the Hansen's Disease universe. It was Dr. Brand who first raised the idea that the observable symptoms of the disease—skin lesions, blindness, crippled limbs, disfigured faces—might be a result of nerve damage caused by the disease rather than directly by the disease. He began documenting lack of pain along with the other symptoms. In time, he drew the wider medical community to an inescapable conclusion: The lack of pain in these people's lives was causing them harm.
Wait. Wouldn't the absence of pain be a blessing, especially for those suffering from such a terrible disease?
People with Hansen's didn't notice when a rock or limb scratched them, and so made no attempt to protect themselves from infection. Simple abrasions led to serious problems. A twisted ankle went unnoticed, was never immobilized, leading to permanent dislocation. The absence of pain set up a serious domino effect leading to loss: of limbs, facial features, vision.
This week's 2 Kings passage says leprosy afflicted Naaman, the commander of the Aramean King's army. Whatever he had, it was serious. Aram’s King sent 750 pounds of silver and 150 pounds of gold with Naaman to Israel in hopes it would purchase a cure for his condition—that's over $3 million US dollars!
If Naaman did have Hansen's, then his likely symptoms included white, scaly skin and one other very notable symptom: lack of protective sensation. In other words, a significantly diminished sensitivity to pain. Hansen's is a progressive disease. Absent treatment, every symptom worsens over time. While at first glance an insensitivity to pain might look like a good thing, especially for a warrior like Naaman, there is a real downside.
Naaman, at first throwing a fit because the prophet Elisha failed to make a big enough deal over him, was eventually convinced by those who cared about him to comply with the prophet's simple instructions. After bathing seven times in the Jordan River—as instructed—Naaman was cured of his leprosy. His skin was fully restored.
On the other hand, along with his skin, he may also have regained his pain.
Pain is a gift that protects us in a world filled with hidden dangers. Pain draws our attention, early on, to injuries that could deepen and cause us great harm if not timely addressed.
Pain is a gift to the spirit as well as the body. It is that quality of life we often wish was not present, but which is really a gift from a loving God.
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BONUS MATERIAL:
Dr. Brand wrote several books, three of which were written with Philip Yancey, including Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants. In addition, Dr. Brand is also one of the featured subjects of Yancey's book, Soul Survivor.
Types of Nerve Damage Due to Leprosy (and graphic):
https://www.happiesthealth.com/articles/neurology/types-of-nerve-damage
Controversy: There's this big controversy over whether what the Bible calls "leprosy" is always the same as Hansen's. I certainly don't know. But archeological discoveries and subsequent DNA testing have established that Hansen's was present in Asia, Europe, and even the Americas over 5,000 years ago.
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There will not be a DaySpring Lectionary Breakfast this week. Enjoy the holiday weekend and join us next week. Below is the list of the coming week’s Lectionary scriptures.
Blessings,
Steve
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Read them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=63&y=384
Print them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Cx_Proper9.pdf
2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
Isaiah 66:10-14
Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16
Psalm 66:1-9
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Proper 9 (14) (July 6, 2025)
