Tuesday, June 2, 2015

The Outcast

She was different.  She was unclean.  She had been labeled unclean for many years because of the laws and traditions of her people.  Being unclean meant that she was not able to go to lunch with her girlfriends.  She was not able to sit on chairs or anywhere other than her on bed without that piece of furniture also becoming "unclean".  And that bed she slept on, well, it couldn't be shared with her husband.  He too would then be unclean.  She couldn't even hug her children.  She was most definitely an outcast.  She had been labeled by the world she lived in.

Somewhere along the line she heard about Jesus.  She must have heard of the miracles He performed. He was different than the other doctors she had been to throughout the years.  Jesus didn't charge for the miracles He performed. And, He wasn't afraid to be around the outcast like lepers, tax collectors, and the lame.  She had hope rising up in her for the first time in years, and that hope turned into action.  She went through the crowd and did the unthinkable.  She touched, with her "unclean" hands, the hem of His garment.

Immediately she was healed, and immediately Jesus knew power had left His body. Can you imagine how she must have felt?  After years, and years, and years of a physical ailment and being labeled unclean, it was over.  What relief!  What joy!  In amazement and fear and wonder she fell to her knees before Jesus when He asked the crowd, "Who touched me?".  I bet the crowd was mortified that this unclean woman just touched the Rabi. This was against the rules.  This was not the way things worked.  Jesus' response was very interesting.  He called her, "daughter".

Jesus didn't look at her with the same eyes that the rest of the crowd was looking at her through.  It was His child, His creation. He healed her and told her to "go in peace".  Peace wasn't something that was familiar to her, but I bet she was very excited to once again live a peaceful life.  I bet she hugged her husband and children that day.  I bet she laughed.  I bet she gave thanks to God before resting her eyes that night.

This is a true story from many years ago, but the truth of the matter is that there are outcasts all around us.  You know, the people that don't fit into our normal, comfortable lifestyle.  Let me give you a few examples that came to my mind:  homeless people, people coming out of prison, women that dance for a man's pleasure in public, drug addicts, people that don't believe the same way we believe. If these people were in front of me, would I act the same?  Would I love differently? Jesus treated the outcasts with love and respect.  Do I follow His lead?

What about you?  Are you comfortable with loving people that can be hard to love? Do you, on a regular basis, make time for the outcasts in our society?  Why or why not?  If you have stories of how God has changed you by sharing your love freely with the outcast, please email them to me. I'd truly love to hear them. (stephanie@stephanieblakeslee.com)

Jesus - please forgive me when I haven't given love as freely as you give love.  Thank you for the grace and mercy you give me, and all the others in this broken world.  Help me to see others through your eyes.  Help me to not stand in judgement, but to walk in love in every way possible. - In Your Name I pray - Amen.

For a more in depth study:

  • Read Luke 8:42 - 48.  What does God say to you through this story?
  • Read Luke 6: 27-38.  Who in your community needs to hear about the unconditional love of Jesus Christ? What is holding you back from telling them and showing them?






1 comment:

Carolina Hinojosa-Cisneros said...

What a beautiful post and what a Godly reminder. Thank you!