In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on doctors, but none of them could make her well. As soon as she came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes, her bleeding stopped.
"Who touched me?" Jesus asked.
While everyone was denying it, Peter said, "Master, people are crowding all around and pushing you from every side." But Jesus answered, "Someone touched me, because I felt power going out from me." The woman knew that she could not hide, so she came trembling and knelt down in front of Jesus. She told everyone why she had touched him and that she had been healed right away.
Jesus said to the woman, "You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace!" Luke 8:43-48 [CEV]
How busy must Jesus have been on this day! – He had been teaching the crowd, healing people and casting out demons and then he was called by Jairus, who’s only daughter aged 12 was almost dead. Yet Jesus was not obsessed with his own wellbeing or stressed about the work he had to do. He was sensitive enough to notice the power going out of him and cared enough to engage with the woman and greet her, and encourage her that her faith had made her well – no wonder she told everyone else!
It is easy to become inward-focused and contemplate our own woes all the time. But we are called to serve others – like Jesus did. What opportunity do you have today to spend 5 minutes “you haven’t got” with someone who needs your encouragement?
It’s so easy to pass by on the other side or say “I haven’t got time for that today”. Be open to take the chances that come your way and be flexible with your time allocation!
Lord, make us aware of the needs of others and help us to encourage and uplift others whenever we can – in Your name, Amen.
Dave MacLellan
(first published in 2007)
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