I Choose
What if you could do anything you chose to do?
When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean. He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, I do choose. Be made clean! Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. - Matthew 8:1-4
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew, a leper approaches Jesus believing Jesus had the power to choose to heal him, and Jesus did just that.
What if someone came up to you today and said similar words. If you choose, you could help me.
What would you do?
We tend to think that when Jesus chose to heal someone, it was done with no cost to him personally, whereas if we chose to help someone, we need to give from our wallets.
But what if the power to heal was something that came at great personal cost, draining Jesus of his strength and leaving him weaker and more vulnerable. Would that make a difference?
When the bleeding woman touched his cloak, he felt the power leave him, so there may be something to this. Whenever we give of ourselves, we feel it in some way, and yet, when we do it out of love, it doesn't leave us the same in many respects.
We are lessened and increased at the same time.
Choosing to help changes us and that change is often for the better, if we let it be so.
People flocked to Jesus for help, and we can expect to develop a reputation for giving once we start. They will find us as they found him, and that is scary for a lot of us. But because the act of giving of self is so depleting, we need help in the form of the Holy Spirit, to revive and restore our strength.
It is what Jesus promised and unless we believe, as the leper did, we will be drained and weakened.
It is a cycle of restoration we follow when we go out into the world to bring the light and return to each other at home base, the church, to replenish our supply.
So, choose and be healed. Come home and be refreshed so that when you go out again, you will be ready to help others.
More to come...