Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." (Luke 7:12, 13 NASB)
This grieving widow had already lost her husband, and now she had lost her only son. Just as our community would do in a tragedy of this nature, her friends and relatives had turned out in large numbers to accompany her to the burial ground to bury her son. She was overwhelmed with grief and sobbing every step of the way.
She had lost her son, and it seemed that nothing could ease her suffering. A crowd of people had come to help and failed. No one had the words that restored hope for her. No one had the touch that gave comfort to her.
As Jesus and the crowd with Him approached, those with her surely noticed Him. Scripture doesn't tell us if she noticed Him as well, but we know that she did not run to Him or fall at His feet. If she knew she could find help in Christ (and it is likely that she did not), she did not move to claim it. Although she had no way to know it beforehand, Jesus was all she needed.
Seeing her terrible pain, Jesus was moved with compassion and entered her grief. He stepped closer, and with one touch and a single word, changed everything. Everything. The woman would never be the same again. The son would never be the same again. The crowd would never be the same again.
We are surrounded by hurting, grieving people. Many of them have no idea how great the comfort of Christ can be. Many have no idea He offers comfort at all. What if Jesus could enter their circumstances and change everything? Of course, He can. We have His Holy Spirit to move and comfort, but sometimes grieving, hurting, frightened people need "Jesus with skin on". That's where you and I come in. We can be the hands and feet of Christ, if we will. We can be the one speaking words of comfort and healing. We can offer the gentle touch that soothes. We can, if we will.
Do you know people in need of "Jesus with skin on"? Be the one who offers the hope and healing of Christ.
Pray today that we will be the hands and feet of Christ, offering hope to the hopeless and comfort to those who grieve. Pray, too, that we will extend that same hand of Christ to our loved ones at just the right time,when they need Him most.
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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/05/tupelo-tornado-matter-of-priority.html
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