I am often amazed at how just a small detail in the Bible can mean so much.
Reading Matthew 8 this morning.
" When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy." Matthew 8:1-3 (NIV)
Imagine for a moment being a leper. Leviticus gives us a small glimpse into what that must have been like,
"Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp." Lev 13:45-46 (NIV)
The life of the leper was one of isolation. As they went about the day, they had to hear their own voice announcing their condition over and over. And human touch was no longer known to them.
Can you imagine never being touched? How that would make a person feel?
"Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man."
Stop there for a moment. Before healing, moments before, he touched him.
This is the same Jesus that can cure a person without even seeing them (as with the centurion's servant). He could have simply said "be clean!". But he touched him first.
What is Jesus teaching us here?
It's more than a lesson on the power of Jesus to heal. It is the sensitivity of our Savior to the often overlooked needs of people.
Simple gestures go a long way. A short note of encouragement, a cup of coffee or a sincere compliment. We get so busy in our day that we often overlook these needs around us. Yet meeting them can make a huge impact on someone's day.
I read once where a high school student picked up the books of another student who had been bullied. They became friends. Year later he would discover that the very same day, the bullied young man had decided to take his own life. His simple act of kindness saved a life.
Let's ask the Lord, who in our life could use that touch today?
