Power and Compassion (Mark 1:40-42)

In the distance he could hear the children’s laughter and for a brief moment he paused and remembered his own childhood. He remembered the comfort of his mother's gentle touch and the love he had felt when she looked at him. He remembered too the laughter that he had shared in the company of his friends. But his time of reminiscing was interrupted when someone came too close, and he had to quickly cover his mouth and shout, “Unclean!” Then he saw the look of horror on their faces as  they ran away crying, “It’s a leper!” “It’s a leper,” he thought. "They can’t even see me as a man." As he continued walking he wondered if Jesus would be able to see him as a man and if He would be willing to heal him.

Ever since the priest had declared him unclean he had been going away from people. He had become isolated as the disease slowly took over his identity. A coldness had settled deep inside of him when he lost the ability to feel. However, hope had been awakened in him when he heard about the miracles of Jesus. For the first time since he’d been declared a leper he was going towards another human being and not away. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal him, he just didn’t know if He’d be willing. As soon as he found Him he knelt in front Him and began begging Him, “If you’re willing, You can heal me and make me clean.”

Jesus was moved with compassion, and then He stretched out his hand and took hold of the leper. Then Jesus spoke the words the leper longed to hear, “I am willing, be clean!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared and he was healed. He was healed. He was clean.

When I think about how Jesus was moved with compassion for this man I think about how Jesus, although He was God, was willing to humble Himself and come to us. When Jesus reached out and touched the man with leprosy, I am reminded of what Isaiah said about the Messiah. “He had no form or splendor that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like one people turned away from; and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

For all who have lost their identity and their ability to feel, to all who have become isolated by their sins, Jesus issues an invitation to come. And we can come to Him because He came to us. We can know what it is to be clean because He carried our pain and took the punishment for our peace.
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