When I was seventeen, I went on a missions’ trip to Albania
for six weeks to serve at an orphanage. By week two I was sick and getting
sicker. My glands by my jawline and neck were swelling so much that my skin
started to feel tight and hot to the touch. Playing with the kids at the
orphanage had given me the mumps and I was miserable. My group decided to quarantine me in hopes of
not spreading the mumps to my teammates. This quarantining only lasted a week,
as I recall, but it was almost as bad as the illness itself. I was sick and
wanted comfort. I longed for my mother’s hugs which were an ocean away.
The willingness of Jesus to reach out and touch this man
with leprosy had to have been jaw dropping for the man. He was an outcast from
society. Touching the man with leprosy would make Jesus unclean. Jesus was
sharing something very important about his kingdom in touching him and healing this man. Jesus’ kingdom is ruled not by law, but by
mercy. Mercy reaches out and risks.
Mercy gets dirty. Mercy does not
operate under the law but outside of it. And here’s the thing, the whole world needs
to be grasped and held by mercy. None of
us have clean hands. The man asked if Jesus was willing, and Jesus answered
with a resounding yes. The willingness
of Jesus to reach out and touch us with his mercy is a willingness that never
exhausts itself. There is no sin too
great that will not be met with the willingness of Christ.
As you reflect on this passage, what comes to mind that needs
God’s mercy in your heart and life today? Where are you struggling to believe in God's willingness to embrace you with mercy? Bring your whole self to Jesus and let the mercy of Christ embrace you and keep you.
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