Untouchable

I find interesting the story in Luke chapter 5 that tells of a man who was covered with leprosy. This man came to Jesus begging “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”.

Jesus healed many. Sometimes He simply spoke and healing came, as in the case of the Centurion’s servant. Sometimes He gave the person instructions to be followed as in the case of a man blind from birth. Jesus spit in the dirt, placed the mud on the man’s eyes and told him “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.” The man did as he was told and was healed. Healing came to a woman who simply touched the hem of His garment.

My point is this, Jesus did not have to touch the man with leprosy, but He did. How very much that touch must have contained. Beyond the healing it said, “You have value, you are acceptable, you are touchable.” It had probably been a while since that man had felt a human touch. Persons with leprosy were looked upon as “dead” and not allowed to be among the people. If they were somehow healed, they went through a ceremonial purification process that allowed them back into fellowship among the living.

Jesus told this man, “Don’t tell anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus does not shy away from coming into the unpleasant putrid parts of our lives to bring cleansing and healing. He left the pure holiness of Heaven to have the filthy sin of all mankind placed upon His purity. He traded our sin for His righteousness.

When I read this account of His willingness to reach out and touch the leper, I know His touch is available to me. It is available to all.

What Was She Thinking?

Recently I read a portion of scripture giving the account of a horrible case of child abuse. It made me ask myself, “What was she thinking”?

We are told of a woman, a wife and a mother, who, while caught up in deep sin made a decision regarding her daughter that is unthinkable to me. We are not told how old the daughter is, maybe 6, maybe 12, maybe 16, but young enough to still be in her mother’s care.

This “mother of the year” was having an adulterous relationship with the powerful leader Herod. This man was her husband’s brother or her brother in law. In this recorded piece of history, John the Baptist confronted the sinfulness of their relationship and this woman was not happy about it. Instead of cleansing her heart of the sin, and aligning her life to God’s plan, she wanted to get rid of the convicting voice. She wanted to have him killed, but Herod knew that John was a just and holy man and he protected him.

This opportunistic mother was soon given her chance. Herod had a big birthday celebration and her lovely daughter danced for Herod. She must have been quite talented for it pleased Herod to the point that he offered her a gift of her choice for the performance. Prompted by good ole mom, this child requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod could not go back on his word in front of everyone, so it was done. I can’t help but wonder what the heart of that child would have asked for.

This child carried the bloody decapitated head of John the Baptist, an innocent man, to her mother. Her clothes and slippers and hands and arms probably were covered with the gore of the brutal execution. What nightmares did she suffer for the rest of her life? The request that had come from her mouth had killed a man, a good man, a man believed to be a prophet of God. What kind of guilt did that girl suffer from the mother’s direction?

It is not an uncommon thing for a person to want to quiet convicting voices instead of making changes. Mothers (and fathers) may shun church or godly voices to keep from hearing convicting messages. In doing so, sons and daughters are also kept away. They are given the example of shunning truth.

If God sends a message about something He declares out of bounds for us, it is out of His love that He sends it. There are places where He can send His blessings and there are places that He cannot send His blessings. Open our ears, Lord, help us to listen.