Two of my favorite Bible stories are found in the gospels--the story of the man with the demon, called Legion, and the story of the woman who suffered from bleeding. I like the way that Luke tells these stories.
Jesus heads out to the Gerasenes via boat. As soon as he hits shore, a demon-possessed man who lives in the tombs gives him a warm welcome. “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, You Son of the Most High God?” Jesus commands the unclean spirit out of him and right into a herd of pigs, who flee off a cliff and into the lake. The cleansed man begs Jesus to go with him, but Jesus commands him to go into the town and proclaim all that God has done for him.
Jumping forward in chapter eight, Jesus is on his way to help someone else, in the midst of an oppressive crowd. As he moves, he feels power leave him because someone who so desperately believes he can heal her has touched his robes. The disciples doubt him when he says this is so, but the truth comes out when the woman who has suffered from bleeding for twelve years comes forward.
My affection for these stories is not solely motivated by the stories themselves; I like where and how they are positioned in the gospel story. Luke includes the testimony of the prophetess, Anna, in chapter two. He tells of the cleansing of a leper, the healing of a crippled man, the calling of a tax collector, and Jesus dining with sinners in chapter five. In chapter six, he blesses the poor, hungry, and those who weep, then calls down woes on the self-satisfied--a little different from Matthew’s beatitudes. Chapter seven includes the story of a widow’s son who is raised to life, praise of John the Baptist, then moves into chapter eight with stories of women who do Christ’s work. Chapter eight ends with the story of thousands of demons driven out of a lunatic and the healing of an unclean woman.
More than anything else, this gospel emphasizes the fact that Jesus is very intentional with the marginalized. In a culture where women could not do much, Jesus invites them to serve Him and do His work. In a culture where tax collectors are looked down upon as cheating scum, Jesus invites them not only dine with him, but to be his disciples. He heals those who are banished from the city--a leper and a crazed, demon-possessed man. Pharisees and teachers of the law look at John the Baptist and deem him crazy, but not Jesus. Jesus praises John, despite his lack of luxurious clothes and living conditions. “But the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).
There are many “leasts of these” who we encounter daily. If I bumped into a demon-possessed man or a woman who was unclean going on thirteen years, I would probably head for the hills. The succession of stories in Luke--with the story of these two standing out most vividly for me--commands us repeatedly to hang tight when we bump into these people. Jesus cares about them.
When he is on his way to heal Jairus’s daughter he stops to heal a woman who people had probably been overlooking for years. Jairus is a leader of the synagogue. Jesus should take care of him first, right? Wrong. Jesus constantly goes out of His way to heal, spend time with, teach, and love those who the rest of society shoves to the margins.
These words ring out in my mind: “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, You Son of the Most High God?” I think the man associates Jesus with the town leaders, teachers of the law, and “clean” people who are above his affliction. Jesus is the “Son of the Most High God.” Too good for a demon-possessed man. Well, we all have our own metaphorical “demons.” And just because some of us can hide them better with expensive clothes, shiny accomplishments, or “holy” works, it doesn’t mean that Jesus will show us more favor or that God’s people should show care to us first and in a more intentional way.
Right after Luke tells these stories, he records Jesus’ commission of the twelve: “He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal diseases. Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:1-2). That’s very specific, and this is what I read in between those lines: “Go out and find the people who are shoved to the margins. Write compassion, tenderness, and grace all over their hearts in My name.” I see modern versions of that demon-possessed man and woman with the hemorrhage everyday. It makes me want to pick up my pen and venture out into the margins.
God of the afflicted,
I praise You for the way that You show care to all people. Thank you for Jesus and the life that He lived--a life in which He was constantly seeking out those whom the world rejected. Help us to remember that we should love the way that He loved and expect nothing in return, because that is what You have called us to. We praise You for teaching us through the life of Your Son.
In His name, Amen.
Erin Daugherty
Abilene Christian University
As always, Erin, you have the perfect words to touch my heart. They are just what I needed to be reminded of today: "compassion, tenderness, and grace in Jesus' name."
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