A Leper’s Spots

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 cured of his leprosy.  Matthew 8:2-3 (NIV)

Can you see the love of Jesus for the leper?  Those with leprosy were not allowed within the cities.  They were outcasts, left to die.  To touch a leper made one unclean.  Now, look at the love of Jesus for this outcast of society.  This man kneeled before him.  He knew he was not worthy of being made clean.  I can see him now, kneeling, hoping against hope, yet most certainly not expecting Jesus to touch him.  Yet, Jesus reached out his hand.  Jesus knew the law, after all, he was the author of it.  Why would the one who wrote the Law, knowingly, willingly go against it and touch the man who was unclean?  LOVE!  He saw this man, broken before him.  He reached out his hand and touched him.  The touch of love that leaves one forever changed is in the hands of Jesus.  Jesus told the leper to go show himself to a priest for he had been made clean.  The Law provided a sacrifice for one who had been made clean to be allowed to reenter the city.  Do you ever wonder how many times that sacrifice had been made?  Had the leper done as the Lord said, I could see the priest, scrambling in the book of the Law to see what was required.  Why the scramble?  He had never seen this before!  A leper healed.  A leper cured.  Wait! Jesus had done what?  He had touched this man?  Oh Jesus had broken the law and was going to have to be punished.  See the difference?  On the one hand, the one who gave the law knew it was not made for man to serve, but to serve man.  On the other hand, the one who claimed to be the priest of the one who had written the law, forgetting the miracle of the healing, but seeing the sin of the one who had touched the leper.  Which part do we play in the role of life?  Are you the one who, like Jesus, reaches out in love to the outcasts of society, or are you the one who plays caught you when someone does something that is against the Law?  Let’s go back to the love of the Lord.  Look at his eyes.  See the love?  Feel the gentle touch of his hand.  It is that touch that cleanses.  It is that touch that heals.  It is that touch that restores, the touch of love in the Master’s hands. 

Father, I thank you so much for that touch of love.  Lord, reach forth that gentle hand and touch the lives of those whom read this.  Lord, in Jesus name, let us learn to reach forth that gentle hand in return.  We are your hands on this earth.  Do not let us be like the priest who was more concerned with punishing the one who touched than in the miracle of the healing.  In Jesus name, let us be your hands, Lord.  Lord, you guide our hands with who to touch and how.  Let us not think of what society is going to say, but only of what you desire, in Jesus name, amen.

All rights reserved:  Amy Seelbach

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