Taylors First Baptist Church’s Frank Page heads off the stage this week at this year’s annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, IN. Starting tomorrow, the Baptists will be selecting a new president and deciding whether to stay on the straight paths or to leave them for the broader roads that lead to destruction.

First, think about the leper. This man was probably not very appealing to look at. He probably had sores and, being banished to places outside the city, he may not have been very clean. In fact, lepers were most frequently found ostracized, wandering outside the city. Regardless, this man was sure to be unattractive and undesirable. In spite of this man’s disease and undesirable features, Jesus did what most modern “Christians” wouldn’t even think about doing: He touched him.

Then there’s Jesus. The emotion that prompted Jesus to touch this man was compassion. Jesus saw this man and did not see a leper. He did not see someone to avoid, but someone to draw near to. He had no regard for the rules of “uncleanness.” He didn’t care that this man was rejected by family and society. Jesus saw a man who had great need. Jesus saw a man who was desperate for help. Jesus had compassion. This compassion was not the kind that “Christians” of today have: Jesus’ compassion moved Him to touch this man.