There was a man whose life was different because of a skin disease. It was a serious disease, and perhaps kept him from going out much in public. His friends probably stayed away from him because they didn’t want to catch whatever he had. Some would have thought he was a sinner, and was being punished by God because obviously this condition set him apart and made him a castoff from the public view. We don’t know but his family may very well also have left him because of his condition fearing whatever it was he had. Have you ever seen another that had a condition that was obvious to the eyes, and out in public? What did you think of him? Did you want to stay away? Did you feel pity? I read the story about this missionary who, while traveling with some friends, saw a woman laying in the dirt. She was covered in vomit and was soiling herself with diarrhea. She smelled terrible, and people were passing by her as quickly as possible. But one of the missionaries stopped and knelt down and asked the others to help get her in the vehicle and take her to the hospital. It was a hard thing to do, but she grabbed her and they put her in the vehicle and this one missionary held her head while they drove to the hospital. She continued whispering comfort and love to the lady in the condition. The dying woman’s name was Maria, and the comforter’s name was Bev. She was the example of Christ to one who nobody else wanted to be around. Unfortunately Maria died a few days later, but the act of love that was shown by those few missionaries, is an example to all of us. We jump on the chance to be a friend to the one who doesn’t really need one at the moment, but fail to see the hurting and the lost, and the suffering, and reach out to care for them. The story of the man with the serious skin problem: Here is the Scripture: “When He came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. Right away a man with a serious skin disease came up and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing. You can make me clean.’ Reaching out His hand He touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be made clean.’ Immediately his disease was healed. Then Jesus told him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed, as a testimony to them.'” Matthew 8:1-4 That’s the difference between the Love of Jesus, and just the desire to be righteous. This missionary woman Bev, didn’t care that this poor dying woman soiled her clothes with her own excrement and vomit, because she could only see through the eyes of love – Christ’s love. Jesus was willing and His words to the poor man with the skin disease, “I am willing,” cries out through the ages to today, and reminds us all of what it means to be a friend to others. What if we treated all we came in contact with the love of Christ, treating them like a brother, a sister, a very close friend. Would we be willing? Would we be willing to get our clothes soiled with the disease of the afflicted? Would we be willing to get our hands dirty for the poor in need? Would we be willing to speak to the one who tries to steal from us, or to hurt us? Would we be willing? I suspect that Jesus could do so much more through us, if we were just willing. Pastor Andy
Barnabas Man 