v 41. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”
Compassion is more than a feeling – it results in action; it is a hands-on quality of love that gets involved with people in need. The Apostle John puts it this way ‘If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.‘ (1 John 3)
Jesus did not stand aloof and keep his distance from the lepers, he did what most self-respecting Jews of his time would never contemplate doing – he reached out and touched the untouchable. When we read that Jesus was moved with compassion this was no mere gut feeling on Jesus part, it was heart and hand moving together. This is what I take compassion to mean – it is heart and hand moving together in response to human need.
We have seen that same quality of compassion in the life of David as he looked for and responded practically to the need of the disabled Mephibosheth.
A PRAYER FOR THE WEEK. Heavenly Father, give me eyes to see, a heart to love and hands to work for the benefit of those in need. AMEN.