Angrily yanking his arm from my grasp, our eyes locked. My attempt at keeping conversation light and cheerful as I took vitals and went over medication lists for this palliative medicine clinic patient failed. Accustomed to routine revilement from others due to his advanced skin disease, his quick withdrawal was his own attempt at self protection. Rough in manner, his eyes betrayed a deep pain and a tiny glimmer of hope. I wondered if Jesus saw that same look in the eyes of a leper, who dared approach him for the healing touch of a scandalous love for which he longed.
A young man, my patient suffered from a debilitating disease not unlike leprosy. Disfiguring body, repulsing onlookers; yet this man’s illness included extensive pain. We would meet multiple times over the course of his relationship with our practice, allowing me brief glimpses into his deeper pain.
When Jesus offered the healing touch of his scandalous love to the leper, he healed more than his leprosy.
the importance of a healing touch
Seriously ill people need human connection through physical touch. A lesson learned more by intuition than instruction. Not long after the start of covering our palliative medicine clinic, the eyes of my heart saw brokeness beyond disease.
Most of the patients coming into the clinic rarely made eye contact, smiled or engaged with me beyond a cursory answer to a necessary question. The awkwardness of family members’ attempt at filling the silence became a distraction.
But the more my heart listened, the more understanding guided my actions. Before long, simple gestures of touch brought comfort and invited hurting souls into a safe place of connection.
Jesus knew this well. Often confronted in the midst of travel, crowds and other distractions, still he chose connection with those truly seeking him.
a scandalous love
Of all the stories in the gospels, one story transformed the way I see and interact with people more than any other: the story of Jesus healing the leper found in Luke 5:12-13:
“While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him.”
The transforming power of Jesus’ love flowed through his healing touch. Jesus healed because he loved. Love came first; an overwhelming, all consuming, scandalous love.
This love saw past disease, disfigurement, brokeness and sin and touched the pain of another.
Week after week, the eyes of the hurting searched mine for a love scandalous enough to touch what few dared touch, the pain of unseen scars.
a scandalous love bigger than the scars of sin
Leprosy in the Bible portrays an apropos picture of sin, making the story of the leper’s healing even more powerful. A quick read of the Book of Leviticus makes clear God’s stand on both sin AND leprosy. The following similarities cement the truth for us.
- Sin starts small. Leprosy often started with a small, bright spot, which changed and expanded over time. Sin likewise often starts with a small infraction, but over time changes and becomes more consuming.
- Sin starts within. Leprosy, a neurological disease starts within, only later displaying outward evidence. Sin begins with a thought, leading to desire, and finally to an outward action.
- Sin numbs our true condition. Leprosy damages sensory nerves, removing any normal sense of feeling. Continued, unrepentant sin leads to a hardened and indifferent heart.
- Sin is not hidden. Once leprosy visibly appears, suffers cannot hide the disease. Sin becomes visible to all in actions and words.
- Sin leads to death. Eventually, leprosy leads to fatal tissue and limb deterioriation. Besides poor decision making leading to harm, unrepentant sin leads to eternal death and separation from God.
loves touches
The story of the healing of the leper in Luke 5:12-13, illustrates not only physical healing, but the depth of Jesus’ love for this man. As many of our clinic patients affirmed, disease disfigurement, intense pain and complexities isolated them from those they loved and society in general.
The intensity of loneliness and disconnection from all human touch surely crippled this man more than his physical disease.
Shunned and pelted with stones by his fellow man and religious leaders alike, he knew his place outside of society. Yet on this day, something drew him to Jesus. Perhaps he saw others healed from a distance, or heard the widespread tales of this man unlike any other.
Whatever the impetus for his action in approaching Jesus, he braved rejection one more time. I find this exchange between Jesus and the leper one of the most beautiful in all of scripture.
love transforms
The Bible informs us a man full of leprosy, meaning at the end stage of his disease approaches Jesus; as his last hope. Consider the courage of his timid, humble request: “Lord, if you are willing, IF you desire, you are able to make me clean.“
How much time transpired between the plea and the answer? There, his face in the dust, the leper waits for a word, but he receives something he never expected: a touch.
Jesus reaches out his hand and before everyone scandalously touches the leper while uttering the words, “I will, I desire, BE CLEAN.”
Did you notice the order of Jesus’ response? He touched the leper, then healed him.
Why not heal with a word? Why not heal, THEN touch? Jesus, God in the flesh gave the most powerful illustration of God’s love for sinners in an exchange taking at most, a few moments.
Jesus’ love and compassion compelled him to touch the man just as he was. Breaking with every protocol of the day, instead of casting the man out, Love pulled him in and healed him.
Similarly, as we understand the picture of leprosy illustrating sin in our lives, we see the extent of God’s willing love in casting no one out, but pulling all that come to him closer, healing them.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
John 6:37
the healing touch of a scandalous love
In the same way as the healing touch of God’s scandalous love transformed the life of an insignificant leper over two-thousand years ago, his touch transforms our lives today. Whether you come to Jesus for the first time seeking salvation or prompted by repentance for cleansing of sinful deeds today, his compassion invites you in, while his love makes you whole.
As the compassion of Christ welcomes, cleanses and restores our sin sick bodies as often as we ask, may we extend a willing hand to others, hard to love and crippled by sin with simple acts of love and mercy.
Unable to keep silent, the leper in the story told everyone about his healing and where they, too, might find healing. Stepping into the pain of others, with a compassionate view of their sin ravaged lives, we, like Jesus become instruments of mercy, relieving their suffering with the healing touch of a scandalous love.
Look around. Whose pain can you palliate today by allowing the compassion of Jesus to flow through your hands?
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Your words linger in my thoughts long after I finish reading one of your posts. I admire your compassion and tenderness toward those in the later stages of life. Your words are such a great reminder of how Jesus sees us and longs for us to see Him and to experience His tender touch right where we are.
I praise God the words he gives me bless you even after you read my posts! That’s how I know they are his words and not mine! Indeed I only wish I was more compassionate, sometimes I allow the busyness of life to distract me from what is truly important.
What a wonderful and poignant reminder today, Donna. Touch isn’t something I think about too much outside my marriage. My husband’s hugs are the only ones I really care for as someone who is uncomfortable with touch with others. Sometimes, of course, I do hug my mom and in-laws, because I know it’s important to them. Thank you for the reminder that touch can be such a comfort to others.
Ashley, I understand your feelings, I think I am unusual in that I don’t like to be touched (past trauma and abuse), but I feel compelled to comfort others!
Donna, this is such a touching message. So true. I can’t tell you how much your words touched me. So beautifully spoken. Blessings.
Visiting today from Let’s Have Coffee #20
Thank you so much for your kind words, Paula! I rejoice in the blessing you received here reading my post!
one of the most difficult parts of covid have been the inability to really hug and kiss my mom in the care facility she lives in. i know she longs for that touch but doesn’t have the words to express that longing. i leave frustrated and sad more days than not. and once again, year after year, i have to give her back to the One who continues to touch the most deepest part of who she is, her soul.
Linda, you are so right about the affect COVID has had on the elderly, especially in facilities. I hear from families all the time who cannot even enter the facility to see their loved ones, much less embrace them. I will say I diagree with this approach. While I understand the need for safety, I think it is too high a price to pay for the elderly, or anyone for that matter.
I am so sorry to hear of your situation with your mother. I’m afraid the rebel in me would come out, and I would overstep the rules.
Just the other day after talking about my cancer in the bone of my head, the doctor reached out and took my hands and the feeling of love, compassion and words of encouragement just something I cannot describe. Just the compassion of touch. I will remember that with others. Thank you so much.
Sherrill, I am truly grieved to hear about your cancer. What a blessing to have a doctor with such compassion! When we are channels of God’s love, our hands become his hands and his love touches others just as that doctor touched you so deeply! May you know God’s presence in a deeper way as you walk this hard path with Him.
Touch is such a valuable gift we can give so easily to others if we’re just willing and if they’re receptive. I’m grateful for those around me who are willing to give the gift of touch to me. I do like to imagine the surprise that the lepers felt when Jesus was willing to touch them!
Lisa, touch is so important in many ways. I fear COVID has limited our manner in which to engage with others in this much needed way!
“Jesus’ love and compassion compelled him to touch the man just as he was.” Donna, this is such a powerful sentence and moved me to tears. That is each of us when Jesus finds us, and He still touches us. May we be willing to do the same – to step into the pain of others and touch them. Beautiful post.
Joanne, my realization of Jesus touching that leper just as he was, truly moved me. As God he could have done things so differently, but his touch spoke more than words can ever express.
This is deeply moving, Donna. Thank you for seeing, touching, then sharing with us, “Week after week, the eyes of the hurting searched mine for a love scandalous enough to touch what few dared touch, the pain of unseen scars.”
Thank you Lisa, for your kind words, it was deeply moving to write! I’m so drawn to the hurting, it often simply overflows.
Oh Donna, this is so hard yet so beautiful and loving. I found myself meandering back many decades ago when I was a teacher to first graders. One student had been diagnosed with cancer in Kindergarten (and she would die in second grade. During first grade, she was undergoing chemo and radiation during which she could not attend school. I would be her hospital/home teacher after a day in the classroom. I noticed that so many people (in the 1970s) in the hospital seemed afraid to touch these children as they seemed so frail. Yet touch is what they needed the most. I am talking even about the staff and the family members. I was saddened by it all and determined to pursue something?? that would help me to teach others about the beauty and importance of touch. I did but it did not turn out the way I had hoped, yet it started with a year and a half in massage school after I taught all day. Then I worked with the Washington, DC Hospice to teach the volunteers and staff about the importance of touch to the patients as well as giving each one of the co-workers gentle next and upper back massage. I taught them how to approach a patient and family with touch so that it would not bring fears or such. It was so much on track to be as I had hoped. But life took some major turns and that is how it all ended. I pray that times have shifted enough to allow touch to be a reality for those with pain, cancer, illnesses such as your patients. I thank God for those such as yourself, Donna.
Linda, such a beautiful story from your own life! How amazingly you stepped out to offer comfort to those who needed it. We have a program at our hopsice called “Comfort Touch” which is similar to what you were doing. It’s a gentle hand and if possible shoulder and neck massage technique anyone can learn. Sadly COVID hinders the avenue of touch previously opened even to the dying. Linda, thank you for blessing me with this story and sharing your compassionate heart with me!
Donna, this is such a well thought out and written post. Just perfect.
Thank you, Susan for your kind encouragement!