Broken bread and small fish: Touching a Leper

You were willing to be near the man with leprosy, to reach out and touch him, to do what was required to make him clean. (Mark 1:40-45)

You were willing to come and live among us, to be near us, to touch us, to do what was necessary to take our sin, to cure our disease.

You bore discomfort and pain Yourself so that I
might be free.

Am I willing to endure hardship, discomfort, or pain so that someone else might be free?

Am I filled with compassion when I see someone who needs You?
(everyone needs You)

When someone is near me who is "unclean" by our world's standard

am I filled with disgust, or am I filled with compassion?

Do I turn away (or run away!) with the rest of the world,

or do I move toward them, reaching out to touch, willing to be near, letting love swallow my unease or disgust, willing to bear...

I know I cannot cure
only You can.

But if I embrace compassion and love, if I move to touch them
If I am willing to look past disease, sin, quirks, things that make me uncomfortable,
to see what You see in a man or woman close to me,

Maybe...they will be able to see past me:
who I am,
what I am,
my disease,

and see You
Your face filled with compassion
Your hand reaching out to touch
Your lips saying,"I am willing, be clean."

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