Kindness, a Christmas message: The forgotten story of Jesus’ kindness, helping lepers and the suffering, something that is missing in contemporary society
One of the human qualities that is missing too often in our society is kindness, the act of being sympathetic or compassionate to others. We live a brutal, violent American society and too often a brutal world.
However, when Jesus came into the world to save human beings, he grew into a kind, sympathetic, compassionate person while trying to tell us that the behavior he was engaging in was a key to salvation.
This is clear in his willingness to help those who were suffering.
Matthew Chapter 8 illustrates this
Leprosy was a horrible disease in Jesus’ time. People avoided lepers for fear of contracting the disease themselves. Jesus showed that he had compassion for those poor people,
The Cleansing of a Leper.
1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
2 And then a leper* approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately.
4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
Matthew 8:1-4
Jesus broke boundaries with the leper
By taking this action, Jesus demonstrated the necessity of kindness for people in his society,
In one touch, Jesus breaks all laws and boundaries set by society and touches the untouchable. In one touch, Jesus not only heals him but gives him the gift of being clean. Back in those days, lepers were outcasts and could not be touched. There was a stigma attached to being unclean in Jewish society. After all, lepers were on the “unclean” list with pigs!
Jesus not only restored his skin and probably his limbs, he gave him a new status in life. Through the kindness of Jesus, he could live “clean.” He could give and feel the touch of family and friends.
Pamela A. Williams, “The kindness of Jesus,” When People are Kind.org.
The kindness of touch
Today, with the coronavirus raging throughout the world, the willingness to touch others, and to even hug those in need, is lost. Jesus tried to illustrate to those who followed him the importance of touch,
Today, the kindness of touch is often overlooked in several cultures. A French Psychologist, Sidney, Jourard, visited cafes and observed friends interacting for an hour. During this hour no one touched in England. In the United States, he counted two touches. In France, 110 touches; but in Puerto Rico, there were 180 touches! What is the advantage of touch?
In an on-line article, Psychology Today says that touch is able to communicate, “joy, love, gratitude and sympathy.”1 We can communicate other emotions too but what if we cultivate the kindness of touch? What if we gave purposeful hugs, high fives, or a gentle squeeze of the hand of a child or an elderly person? In one touch, we could give the gift of kindness that could positively change someone’s outlook.
Pamela A. Williams, “The kindness of Jesus,” When People are Kind.org.
The story of the tax collector
Jesus was also willing to cavort with sinners, so to speak. That shocked his followers, so when he encountered a man named Zacchaeus sitting in a tree, he was filled with compassion because he realized that the man felt that he was an outcast,
Consider tax collectors. Back in Jesus’s day, tax collectors were Rome’s henchmen to collect taxes in the local areas. This worked well since they knew the area and the people. Since they were hired by Romans, they were often thought of as the enemy to Jews. Tax collectors also added a surcharge to taxes. Most of the time, it was in excess but it was money they kept for themselves.
They also seemed to have a relentless power to take any amount of money from the Jew.
Jewish society often listed them with the unclean and sinners. They were despised and most likely, if they wanted to reach out to God they would not have chatted with a Pharisee or other religious leaders.They were the outcasts in temples and synagogues.
But Jesus was different. He crossed this barrier when he saw a man named Zacchaeus sitting in a tree. Apparently, Zacchaeus had some interest in discovering something more than the riches he acquired. He was there to get a glimpse of Jesus and he climbed a tree to watch him pass.
Unlike other religious leaders, Jesus stopped when he saw Zacchaeus. Perhaps Jesus perceived that he longed for meaning in his life or he wanted to connect to God. The Bible does not say but Jesus saw a need and simply spent time with him. According to Luke 19: 5; Jesus told him, “Come down from that tree. I’m going to stay at your house!”
We don’t know the full conversation between Zacchaeus and Jesus but we do know the people around started to gossip. “Jesus is going to a sinner’s house!” It seemed almost scandalous!
My favorite part of this story is this. Jesus did not evangelize Zacchaeus. The Bible does not report Jesus telling him he needed to repent to be with Him. Because of the kindness of Jesus, he accepted Zacchaeus as he was. He didn’t require Zacchaeus to change so that he could be in his presence.
Perhaps, because of this unconditional acceptance, Zacchaeus stopped Jesus in his tracks and said, “I will give half my possessions to the poor. If I have taken too much from anyone, I will give back four times as much.”
It is amazing what happens under the blanket of kindness.
Pamela A. Williams, “The kindness of Jesus,” When People are Kind.org.
Kindness works miracles with people.
Cures woman with bleeding problem
The third example of kindness in this essay is a woman who is despised because of a terrible physical problem,
One lone woman who suffered from an issue of blood for 12 years came trembling toward Jesus and fell down at his feet. She explains that she touched him and instantly, she was healed.
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace,” He says (Luke 8:48).
In this story, the woman was considered ceremoniously unclean because of her flow of blood. I get the feeling that she didn’t want to speak out concerning her issue. Back then, women may have been less vocal about discussing a personal issue in public and talking about it with a man.
Most likely, from the ground, this woman reaches through the crowd, and touches Jesus’s hem. He responds in kindness. He doesn’t put her in “her place” or reprimand her for touching him. In fact, he called her, “daughter.” This is a title of endearment and a way to say that it was okay that she reached out to the Master to receive healing power from Him.
Pamela A. Williams, “The kindness of Jesus,” When People are Kind.org.
Conclusion
These stories of kindness and compassion illustrate to us how we should act toward others. However, in contemporary society, we see so little kindness and so much hatred and animus.
That is what Christ tried to teach us, how to live and how to love. Yet so many talk of Jesus’ love while not putting it into practice.
That is unfortunate and sad, particularly when those who are exhibiting this anti-Christian behavior are those who are supposed to be leading us.
It is one message of this time of Christmas that we should never forget.
Comments
Post a Comment