How Does Jesus’ Compassion for Lepers Encourage Us to Care for the Lost?
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Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth, we see him witness to all types of people. One of the most interesting groups that He reaches out to are lepers. Lydia Bloom Medwin from My Jewish Learning teaches us, "In the biblical narrative, a leper was considered the ultimate ‘other,’ distinguishable by the white, scaly skin that was prone to painful peeling and oozing.” A leper was an outcast of society, untouchable, and unapproachable. Today we are going to look at what we can learn from Jesus’ approach to lepers.
This caused me to think, perhaps it is not a physical leper, but who do I (and who do you) treat like a leper in our world today? Who do we believe is too far gone and out of reach of our Savior Jesus? Is it a family member we have prayed for many years, someone with very different life values? A person deep in a different religion, someone who seems so hostile towards Christians, or the socially awkward? Our “leper” might be someone whom God has placed in our path so that we can show His love in a way that would draw them to understand what Jesus has done for them.
Jesus proves that He can make the most dirty to be perfectly clean. He is the true sacrifice for all people who believe in Him. This includes those whom we want to shut out or steer clear of with the gospel message. However, Jesus reveals that they need Him so much and we should welcome them and share His love with those who are easily outcast by believers.
Who are we to decide who gets to hear the hope of the gospel and who does not? 2 Peter 3:9 beautifully says, “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” This teaches us that God’s heart is for all to come to Him. This means the “lepers” of society, the outcasts at our schools, work places, in our families, and communities.
How are we going to respond to this calling to reach out to those in need of the hope that we have in Jesus? How can we really believe that He can do for others what He did for the lepers in these passages? We need to remember that we too are the lepers. We were completely unclean, but Christ has made us clean. May we never forget what He has done for sinners like us as we share this hope with others.
Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”
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