Mark 1:40-45 records one of the first miraculous healings that Jesus performed, and the reaction of the healed man is an encouraging example for us to follow. A man who came to Jesus had the disease of leprosy. Leprosy is an infectious disease for which there was no known cure in Jesus’ day. It resulted in a slow and painful death for the person infected. Because of its infectious nature, the person had to live in isolation or a leper colony. The fact that he broke protocol and approached Jesus so closely speaks of his courage and desperation. The Bible says that Jesus was “moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.” Immediately the man was healed. Jesus then instructed him to go straight to the priest to fulfill the regulations of the Old Testament Law regarding leprosy. Jesus commanded the man not to tell anyone else what had happened until that had been done. But the man was so overcome with joy he immediately began to tell everyone he could what Jesus had done for Him. The result was an enormous number of people went to see Jesus for themselves. If a man who was cleansed from a physical disease could have so much enthusiasm about telling others what Jesus did for him, then we who have been healed from the spiritual disease of sin can too. If this man made such an impact through his disobedience to Jesus’ command, then we can have an even greater impact through our obedience. God has done so much for us, and we should be eager to “publish it much.”