Touch the Needy

<p>It wasn&rsquo;t surprising when Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize. True to form, she received the award &ldquo;in the name of the hungry, of the naked, of the homeless, of the blind, of the lepers, of all those who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society.&rdquo; Those were the people she ministered to for most of her life. </p> <p>Jesus modeled how to care for and love the marginalized, regardless of circumstances. Unlike the synagogue leaders who respected the Sabbath law more than the sick (Luke 13:14), when Jesus saw an ill woman at the Temple, He was moved with compassion. He looked beyond the physical impairment and saw God&rsquo;s beautiful creation in bondage. He called her and pronounced freedom and healing. Then He &ldquo;put his hands on her and immediately she straightened up and praised God&rdquo; (v. 13). By touching her, He upset the leader of the synagogue because it was the Sabbath. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5), compassionately chose to heal the woman&mdash;a person who had faced discomfort and humiliation for nearly two decades. </p> <p>I wonder how often we see someone as underserving of our compassion. Or maybe we&rsquo;ve experienced rejection because we didn&rsquo;t meet somebody else&rsquo;s standard. May we not be like the religious elite who care more about rules than fellow humans. Instead, let&rsquo;s follow Jesus&rsquo;s example and treat others with compassion, love, and dignity.</p>