The Leper

Luke 5: 12-15

“12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “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.” 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

The leper approached Jesus in humility and faith.  Jesus recognized these qualities and made him clean.  Notice that Jesus healed the leper by touching him.  Jesus did not have to touch him to heal him.  A leper was seen as an untouchable, yet Jesus touched him.  By touching him, according to Jewish law, Jesus was unclean. Yet, Jesus was willing to touch the leper, because He saw His touch as integral to the leper’s healing.

Christian humility is grounded in our faith in Christ and is a quality that we are required to foster and develop. To act with a lack of humility is to fail to incorporate the teachings of Christ in our lives.

Humility enables us to love and touch the untouchable; to seek out and include the least, the last, and the lost in our mission and ministry; to love our enemies; and to turn the other cheek.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)