What witnessing principles can Christians learn from the lepers' response in 2 Kings 7:3–9?

 Question: What witnessing principles can Christians learn from the lepers' response in 2 Kings 7:3–9?

See Answer: http://ebible.com/answers/52284?ori=664697

 

Good fortune of 4 lepers

The Night the Siege Was Lifted

Outside the city gates of Samaria, four men sat huddled together. Their bodies bore the marks of leprosy, their spirits weighed down not only by sickness but by the crushing famine within the city and the deadly siege surrounding it. One of them finally broke the silence.

“Why are we just sitting here, waiting to die?” he asked.

“If we try to go into the city, the famine will kill us,” another said grimly.

“And if we stay out here?” a third muttered.

“We die anyway,” the fourth answered. A long pause followed. Then one of them looked toward the enemy lines.

“There’s only one chance left,” he said. “Let’s go to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they let us live, we live. If they kill us… well, we’re no worse off.”

So as dusk fell, the four men rose to their feet and made their way toward the Aramean camp.

But when they arrived at the edge of the camp, something was strange. No guards. No sentries. No shouting. Not even a whisper.

Tent flaps flapped in the breeze. Horses stood tethered. Donkeys brayed softly in the shadows. But there was not a soul in sight.

They stepped cautiously into one of the tents. Inside, a feast lay spread across the table—bread, wine, roasted meat. Their empty stomachs took over, and they ate and drank until they were full. Gold and silver gleamed in the corners. Fine clothing hung on pegs.

They grabbed what they could and ran off to hide it. Then they came back, entered another tent, and did the same—eating, gathering, hiding.

But then, something stopped them. One of them looked at the others and spoke.

“What we’re doing isn’t right. This is a day of good news. If we keep it to ourselves, we’ll be held accountable. We need to go now and tell the king’s household.”

Without delay, they rushed back to the city and called out to the gatekeepers.

“We went to the Aramean camp,” they shouted, “and no one is there! Not a single voice! The horses and donkeys are still tied up, and the tents are all left just as they were.”

The gatekeepers relayed the message up the chain, until the news reached the palace.