Spending a day with lepers

The gospels contain multiple stories demonstrating the incredible love and compassion Jesus showed toward people.

How Jesus dealt with the lepers may be the most touching story. Leprosy destroys the entire body with horrible, progressive consequences which lead to eventual death. It is understandable why a leper was forbidden to have contact with society and even had to shout, “Unclean!”  when they approached anyone.  If that wasn’t bad enough, in the Hebrew Bible, leprosy was often seen as a divine punishment for sin or disobedience. 

Luke 5:12 - 13 describes the moment when Jesus healed a man affected by an advanced case of leprosy. The man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord” he said, “if you are willing you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him, “I am willing” He said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared. The man was so desperate for help that he defied the law and approached Jesus. He never doubted that Jesus could heal him. He asked, “If you are willing.” He already knew Jesus was capable.

What an incredible model of love. Jesus touched a man everyone feared and despised. His compassion was so great, he healed him immediately. Jesus cured him and restored him to society.

The disease of leprosy, now called Hanson’s disease, was still terrifying to all people until the mid-twentieth century when a cure was discovered.  The United States is home to a famous leper colony named Kalaupapa. It is located on the island of Molokai in Hawaii. Lepers who were forced to go to the colony in the 1800’s received terrible treatment. An inspiring story to read is about Father Damien and Sister Marianne Cope who led a group of Christian missionaries to Kalaupapa. They cared for the lepers and dramatically improved their living conditions.

Several years ago, I spent a day there. I met several lepers who were living there. A guide drove us around the colony. I sat in the front passenger seat next to a leper whose nose and facial features were severely disfigured. He gripped the steering wheel with his thumb and first finger. The other fingers were mostly gone. To see firsthand what it would take to fully restore a leper makes you realize Jesus is truly an amazing God to be able to do that.

It is just as amazing if we model our lives after the leper, come to Jesus, ask for help with our problems, He will freely give the same incredible love to us.

Jesus is waiting for us to ask. He will answer, “I am willing.”