Up Close and Personal
Mark 7:24-37

As a little kid, I avoided the cooties like the plague. I didn’t know what cooties were any more than I knew what a plague was. But girls had the cooties and I was afraid of them – both the cooties and the girls. I did manage to get over my cootie-phobia, but I’m still working on my female-phobia.

Jesus could heal from a distance and did so on occasion (7:29-30). But he wasn’t afraid to get up close and personal with the sick, the sorrowing, the sinner. He wasn’t afraid of catching something.

The man couldn’t hear and had a speech impediment. Communication with him no doubt involved some form of sign language. So, Jesus sticks his fingers in the man’s ear, then spits and touches his tongue to let him know something was about to happen to his ears and tongue. Then, with a heavenward sigh, he says, “Be opened!” And the man would never need sign language again.

Miracles like this verified who Jesus was as the Messiah. How he did such miracles revealed the compassion of his character. He wasn’t a showman nor a clinician. He was and is the Creator genuinely moved by the plight of his creation.

Jesus doesn’t look at you in your brokenness only to turn and walk away. He’s not afraid of what’s wrong with you. He’s not embarrassed to be seen with you. He died on the cross bearing your sins, your brokenness, your shame. He’s not going to run from you now.

Instead, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)