You would do this for me?

 Luke 13:10-17

"You would do this for me?" it was a question she didn't ask often. After so many years of having to be at the margins, she wasn't used to kindness though. So every kind act was followed with this question. Who could blame her? Having to yell out unclean, sit not only in the women's section at the synagogue, but even farther back because no one could touch her. She had sinned or her parents had sinned and this was the result. To be so bent up walking with her gaze always on her feet.

Unclean, sinful and Jesus heals her on the Sabbath. On a day of rest. No wonder in another gospel Jesus is accused of being the Devil himself. Laws broken and compassion reigned and the kingdom of God had drawn near. Every time we judge, every time we know what sin is, every time we are just like these rulers who are ashamed a woman was healed on the Sabbath. 

The biggest difference is how she could be restored to community. No more having to go down the street making her filth known to all. No more only seeing her feet. No more having to avoid accidently bumping into someone or having to avoid her family. This was all gone. She was restored. 

Who do we push out like this? It is a good question to consider. Because the gospel, good news is we can restore. We can heal. Whatever it is, whatever we have judged as someone to keep at arms length, Jesus always brings in closer. The woman in the dust, caught in adultery. He frees her. The woman at the well, the lepers on the road, the 5000 who were hungry. These are all examples of Jesus bringing people closer and it should be our aim as well.

When we walk in the footsteps of Jesus we have to realize how many unclean sinful people he drew near to. I know, I grew up with the phrase of keeping others who were sinful at a distance because we are not Jesus. This is just not true. How likely is it you will be caused to sin by another or their sin will rub off on you. Is this the example Jesus gave to the disciples? They followed in these footsteps. They also learned what it was to reach out and heal the dead, the possessed, the ones no one dared to touch. We are given this example to see just what it is to reach out in love, God's love to others.

Where is it you need to be more like Jesus in reaching out? Where is it you judge? Where is it you pull back instead of engaging? Think on it and see what roads this takes you down. Are there those who need one kind act? 

A couple years ago as I was coming out of the coffee place in Cape a man stopped me and was asking for money. I took him to our food pantry. On the way I remembered we had a coat closet. I asked if he needed a warm coat. He chose one and picked up the food and was on his way. At some point he must've gotten another coat because a few days later the coat (a woman's coat) was left at our door, clean. So it could help someone else. See when you reach out to the ones society marks as untouchable they in turn will reach back. You would do this for me? Yes, you are worth so much more.