When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Matthew 8:1-6

The leper was healed, but the bigger story within this story was that Jesus actually touched him to do it. The religious leaders of the day would have lambasted his irresponsibility. How could a mere man touch a leper and not be “unclean” himself.

Jesus touched this man before there were plastic gloves and anti-bacterial soap or alcohol wipes.

Jesus touched the man when no one else would.

Jesus touched a man who would otherwise have been considered a lost cause.

His example for us is clear.

Jesus was not fearful of diseases, leprosy, or sickness. He was not afraid to get into people’s space and actually touch them, to physically touch them.

Unfortunately the worldwide coronavirus pandemic has put physical touch on the back burner to the extreme. That’s sad because everyone needs to be touched.

This leper certainly needed it.

You will have opportunity to touch people this week. Do it. Go out of your way to do it. You need it; others you know need it.