Many reasons might lead a person to withdraw from God. Some feel they are too sinful. Some feel their life is too broken to be restored. Others feel the problems they face are too great for God to notice. Such feelings often lead people to hide rather than come to God. However, the story of a man with leprosy in Matthew 8:1–4 shows something very different. When Jesus came down from the hill, crowds followed him. In the midst of that crowd, a man with leprosy came. He did not come with the boldness of someone who felt worthy. He came with humility and hope.
In that time, leprosy was more than a health issue. Those afflicted with leprosy experienced social and religious isolation. They had to live apart from the community. People could see their presence as contaminating others. For that reason, this leper’s act of approaching Jesus was an extraordinary act of faith. He dared to approach Jesus despite being in a state that made him an outcast. Matthew records that the man came to Jesus and worshiped him. Then he said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Notice his words. He did not say, “Lord, you must heal me.” He also did not say, “I deserve to be healed.” He only said, “If you are willing.” In that sentence are both faith and humility. He believed Jesus could heal him, but he also submitted the decision to Jesus’ will. This is healthy faith. Faith is not forcing God to do what we want. Faith is trusting that God is powerful while being willing to submit to his will. We may bring our requests earnestly, but we must not make those requests demands on God.
We often come to God with a list of wishes. We want God to change circumstances, solve problems, provide healing, open doors, restore relationships, or meet our needs. None of that is wrong. God wants us to bring our struggles to him. But the question is: do we come to God because we trust him or simply because we want something from him? The leper came to the Person of Jesus, not merely to Jesus’ power.
Something very beautiful happened next. Then Jesus reached out his hand, touched the man, and said, “I am willing; be clean.” Jesus did not only heal from a distance. He touched the one who had been shunned by society. Jesus’ touch revealed his compassion. He was not afraid of becoming unclean by touching a leper. Instead, his holiness and power restored that person. Some people may have felt unacceptable for years. They may have been rejected, shamed, deemed useless, or avoided because of their past. The gospel shows that Jesus does not judge people solely by their circumstances or past. Jesus sees a person’s deepest needs.
We may not experience leprosy physically, but there is “leprosy” in our spiritual life: sin, guilt, emotional wounds, failure, bitterness, fear, and other things that make us feel unworthy to come to God. Do not let feelings of unworthiness drive you away from Christ. Precisely because we need help, we must come to him. Come in faith. Come in humility. Come without pretense. We do not need to hide our condition before God. He already knows everything. What God desires is a heart willing to come and say, “Lord, if you are willing, you can restore me.” God’s answer may not always come in the timing or form we expect. But one thing is certain: when we come to Christ, we come to a Person who is loving, powerful, and caring.