It’s humbling to touch someone who desperately needs healing from a terminal illness.

In the Gospels, we quickly see that Jesus isn’t afraid of lepers. Instead, He loves them. He touches them. He heals them. He celebrates with them in their homes. He sends them ahead to testify to the priests and Levites.

Imagine what the healed lepers experienced and enjoyed. Suddenly, they were married again. They had a family again. They had a home again. They could work again. They could go to the market again. They could worship in the Temple again.

The question is: Are we willing to join Jesus in loving the lost? Granted, you might be thinking, But that’s not fair. Jesus is God’s Son. He couldn’t be contaminated or get deathly sick. Well, in the end, Jesus actually did. He became terribly unclean. Worse, He became utterly cursed, and died on a cross. He alone could die such a death.  He’s the only One who lived that perfect life, and laid it down willingly, and He did it for you and He did it for me.  He’s the only One who could pay the penalty that we ought to have paid.

We live in a sin-sick world. Now, more than ever, may we become the hands and feet of Jesus. As we care for those who have a terminal, spiritual sickness, we can share the Good News that can heal them.            

This is Andrew Palau.