Unexpectedly, I found myself on a cross country flight to Utah, and as I was waiting for WiFi power so I could write, I worked on a crossword puzzle. One of the clues got my attention: I walk around like everything's fine, but deep down, inside my shoe, my sock is sliding off. hmmm....
I love that.
Friends, let's get back to Jesus on the shore of the Galilee, where he has had a very eventful day. The crowds cannot get enough of his teaching or his miraculous works, including the miraculous catch of fish requiring two boats and four men to haul in the shiny swimmers! And at day's end, Jesus has the first four of the 12 disciples who will be his apprentices for three years.
As the crowds disperse, Jesus no longer walks alone: five men walk up from the shore and make their way back to the Via Maris (Way of the Sea) or Route 90, which yet today winds through first one small town and then another. Note: as we learn from Him--what Jesus models is quite important. In the next several verses, Jesus shows us the value he places on relationships; we cannot not miss this part of Jesus.
Luke writes,
In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. Luke 5.12-15
So many of us today endeavor to keep up the facade, "It's fine, I'm fine...everything's fine!" While in fact, our sock has slid way down in our shoe, and we are trying to walk around like nothing is wrong.
What a contrast--for the leper, there was no hiding, no faking or pretense; his sores and infection were obvious. The poor guy who came to Jesus was so desperate, he took a huge risk and violated the law* not announcing from a distance of at least 125 feet, “Unclean,” so that people could avoid being contaminated or infected by him.
Being ‘clean’ or conversely ‘unclean’ was a very large matter in Jesus’ day. Because leprosy was highly contagious, it meant isolation and profound loneliness. You see, Clean – you could be with your family, go to the Temple to worship, visit the market for vegetables, buy fish from Peter; Unclean – you were cut off. .
What Jesus did when the man approached him was shocking and unthinkable--he touched the leper. Yikes. Why? Because he was moved with compassion, Jesus could not help himself. [Reminds me of 2 Timothy 2.13]
Compassion is not the same as empathy. Jesus could have felt sorrow or even pain for what the man’s life was like—empathy—and yet continued on with his day. But because Jesus was moved with compassion, he had to heal the man. Not through yet, Jesus instructed the man to go show himself to the priest who would pronounce him “clean”…why? We could read right past these lines because we have no equivalent of such a practice and therefore the words seem irrelevant, but then we would miss out. Because it was Jesus’ heart for the man to be fully restored, getting the 'clean bill of health' from the priest meant the man could be with his family, conduct business, enjoy friends and community, and worship corporately too.
Isn’t that just like Jesus? Jesus was interested in all of this man, and desired for him to be whole--physically and relationally. Jesus was interested in his total restoration.
I like the leper. With nothing to lose, his desperation drives him to Jesus, raw. Desperation has a way of making us honest and humble; we know we cannot fix ourselves or maybe our situation either. How about you? Now that you've seen the heart of Jesus to touch what no one else would, to heal and to fully restore... why not do what this guy did?
Throw yourself at the feet of Jesus and
ask him to come and do what only he can do.
When you humbly come to Jesus, ask for his healing, you will find Jesus' compassion.
[As is often the case when I write, I am speaking from my own life...the last couple days I have been in a desperate situation, hence the unexpected flight. Two things have made the difference: I can run to Jesus, and I can ask believing friends to pray with me and for me. Our lives are meant to have both: Jesus and friends who will carry us to him when we cannot walk.]
Jesus alone changes things.
Please please listen to this song: That's Enough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgpFGuXnYPY
Praying for you~
Christine
Luke, #20
* – The Law concerning leprosy spelled out in Leviticus 13 and 14
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