A leper approached Jesus, fell on his face and begged to be healed. Jesus then reached out his hand, touched the leper, and healed him (Luke 5).

No one touched a leper. Unclean, they faced constant fear and loathing. Likely this leper hadn’t felt human contact for years. I cannot imagine the depth of loneliness this image-bearer of God face experienced.

Jesus reached out. Instinctively, without hesitation, and with full knowledge of the man’s disease.

I wonder, what flashed through the leper’s mind as Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him?

Week eleven of reading the Bible cover to cover

Christ cleansing a leper by Jean-Marie Melchior Doze, 1864