Great Souls is David Aikman’s outstanding account of six individuals whose lives marked the twentieth century. Unsurprisingly, Mother Teresa is among the six. Aikman gives us this excerpt of her work in India:
"One Christmas I went to visit the leprosy centers ... and told them that God loved them very specially; that all they had was God's gift; that God was close to them; that their illness was no sin. An old man, hardly able to move, with difficulty came up to me and said, 'Please repeat that once more; I never before heard anything of the kind. All my life I only heard that nobody wanted me. How beautiful it is to know that God loves me!'”
Mother Teresa’s account reminds me of another leper who wanted to be wanted, who begged to be touched. He came to Jesus one day. Here is an excerpt of our Lord’s work: “A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. ‘If you want to, you can make me well again,’ he said. Moved with pity, Jesus touched him. ‘I want to,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ Instantly the leprosy disappeared—the man was healed.” (Mark 1:40-41 NLT)
Jesus’ touch was momentary, but the impression lasted a lifetime. His words were simple, but they spoke volumes. To the unnamed leper, the outcast of society, Jesus said: “You matter! I care about you!”
Jesus’ words reverberate through time. They are a healing balm for every forgotten inmate, every orphaned child, every homeless person, every handicapped outcast, every individual laid low by a life-threatening disease, and every forgotten soul. Jesus—God in human form—demonstrates that God cares!
Jesus still cares. He demonstrates that care through his church. The church acts as his gentle hands and soothing voice for a hurting world. What can you do today to express that care?
MY PRAYER:Lord, make me your helping hands and soothing voice to someone in need today.