Needing a Touch (Mark 1:40)
And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth [his] hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
Mark 1:40-41
As Jesus encounters a leper, we can learn some things about Him and about how those who are “Christians” should behave.
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.
Can you imagine this leper? Here was a man who likely had not been touched at all for years. Here’s a man who may not have felt sincere love and compassion for decades. Imagine how he felt when the kind, tender hand of Jesus, touched him. No wonder this man spread the news abroad… sure he was healed, but he was also cared for. He was somebody. Now he could rejoin the ranks of the living. Now he knew that Jesus was on his side.
What I’ve noticed at least here in Greenville, South Carolina, those who are supposed to be “Christians” are largely uninvolved in the lives of those who are desperate; those who are in need of someone genuinely motivated and moved; those who need a touch from someone who actually cares.
It’s nice to know that Jesus still touches people. He’s moved with compassion towards all people, but particularly to the unappealing and undesirable. The poor and the needy. The prisoners, the ostracized. But remember, Jesus is not physically present with us right now. He works through those who genuinely know Him to touch people who are in need and to show the compassion of Christ here on earth while He is away.
Go ahead… next homeless person you see, rather than mocking him or her, rather than pretending you don’t see… go ahead and let the compassion of Jesus move you to touch that person and meet a need in that person’s life. That is what Jesus would do.
