Leprosy wasn’t just a first century scourge, there are still sufferers in the world today and millions are permanently disabled by the disease. The cases today are mostly in Africa and Asia where there are cures if treatment is started early enough and continued. In biblical times there was almost no cure and because of the contagious nature, lepers were shunned and isolated
In Matthew 8 Jesus comes into the picture. We read the amazing words, ‘Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.’ This was unthinkable, surely He would now catch leprosy! Jesus didn’t just heal by a word as did with many of His miracles. He actually placed His hand in the hand of the sick man.
Do we have lepers in our own lives; people we don’t want anything to do with. The list will be different for every one. – the physically dirty and smelly, the down and outs, or as we call them today, the homeless. Do we avoid people with different political beliefs, people with different religious beliefs or no beliefs at all. Do we keep away from people who will cause us problems? Part of our calling is to touch the untouchables.