And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:2-3
Life in a fallen world entails a host of maladies with which we may come to suffer. Some we are born with, others we may contract by contact with infectious properties, others may develop over time, and sadly, some are self-inflicted as we engage in self-destructive behaviors. Some last but a little while, and others are a lifetime struggle. The difficulty of these issues ranges from mild inconvenience to crippling impediments and everything in between. Some bring only physical discomfort while others also bring mental and emotional anguish. Surely most of us can sympathize with the difficulty that living with some sort of malady brings. Thankfully, scientific advances have alleviated much of the suffering in human experience, but it cannot alleviate it all.
One of the most important things we need in such times is human interaction and care. This may mean simply being present, dressing a wound, listening to one’s struggles, and a host of other things. This reality is true in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual care. Our personal experiences, medical research, and the Bible all corroborate the power of the human element. It is little wonder then that the Bible has so much to say in this vein. One of the measures of judgment in Jesus’ Olivet discourse was tending the sick (Matthew25:31-46). The good Samaritan was the only one of the three who came by the injured victim and tended his wounds (Luke 10:25-36). Part of the genuine love expected of a Christian is sharing in both the joy and sorrow of others (Romans 12:15). We are to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1-2). This list could go on, but we get the picture.
Sadly, many people live with conditions that cause others not to interact with them. One such condition we often encounter in the Bible is leprosy. It may be hard for us to fully grasp how difficult this situation would be. Leprosy still exists in our time, but it is not nearly as harsh due to our advanced medical capabilities. In ancient times (and in certain impoverished parts of the world today), victims not only had to endure the pain of the disease, but they also had to live with the pain of isolation for as long as they had it (Leviticus 13:45-46). Often this meant the remainder of their lives.
Can you imagine spending all your days in the absence of human contact? Ponder a life without handshakes, hugs, pats on the back, etc. Imagine having to stand and cry out “Unclean! Unclean!” and watch as everyone crosses the street to avoid you. Set in this light, the healing of the leper in Matthew 8 takes on a whole new significance. Jesus touched the untouchable! There is no indication how long this man had been suffering all alone, but on this day, someone touched him. Someone shared one of the most significant gifts with him, a gift that most of us take for granted.
Now, we have no miraculous abilities to heal, and we are not expected to take unwise risks that will help no one and potentially hurt many. However, we likely encounter people who may receive little or no care from fellow human beings. These people are suffering in different ways than the leper in this story, but simply displaying the love of the Lord may change their entire life. It most likely will not be as swift as the healing Jesus brought to this leper, so we will have to be patient and persistent. Jesus took that time to care for those who suffered in a host of ways, and He expects His people to do the same in whatever capacity we have. So, may we find that lonesome, heartbroken, suffering person and extend the love of the Lord to them.