Something to Work On…
And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” Mark 1:40-41
Anybody who spends time with me knows that I’m not too fond of people labels, yet some insist on sending me emails that label others. Often these emails extol the personal situation of the sender while denigrating another. They try to extol the virtues of conservatism over progressivism/liberalism and vice versa, black lives vs. blue lives and vice versa, anti-vaxxer vs. vaxxer and vice versa. Sometimes these emails are downright heartless.
People, this is why I don’t do social media. So stop sending me this stuff!!
In the passage above, Jesus is stirred to the core when he sees the leper and hears him beg to be healed of his disease. Jesus’ response is to reach out and addresses a condition that separates the man from others. Jesus does not care about the man’s disease; he cares about the man!
Today’s word of the day is σπλαγχνίζομαι. Sorry, I forgot many of you do not read Koine Greek. It is pronounced “splank-ni-zo-ai” and is a verb that means deeply moved in the inward parts, i.e., to feel compassion or pity. It describes a profound feeling toward others regardless of their situation because you love them as another made in the image of God.
It is time to start practicing compassion. Our road back begins by remembering that the “other” you are experiencing is your neighbor, and Jesus calls you to love them as yourself. Next, you start the work of re-humanizing the “other.” Quickly, the conservative and the liberal become human, people of color and police officers become human, and vaxxers and anti-vaxxers become human, etc.
Have compassion and reach out to them regardless of your view on their “condition.”
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