In Daily Bible Reading this summer, we’re exploring how Jesus modeled the Fruit of the Spirit and how we can live them out too. This week our focus is on kindness.
Read Matthew 8:1-4
Discover
1. What observations can you make about the man’s faith based on what he asked Jesus?
2. In verse 3, what was the first expression of kindness Jesus extended to the man?
3. How do you think Jesus’ response to the man may have been different than how other people viewed the man with leprosy?
Respond
In Jesus’ day, to have leprosy was to be alone. A person with leprosy was declared an outcast, and laws required physical separation between others if you had it. The last thing the man with leprosy would expect was to be acknowledged, let alone receive a loving touch. Yet his faith invited him into an experience of Jesus’ kindness. Jesus extended mercy by healing the man’s body, and His kindness stood out in a culture that isolated the sick.
In our culture today, there are many people who are lonely and need the healing presence of someone next to them. Jesus’ example of kindness can propel us to love in unexpected ways.
Who in your life might need this type of kindness? How can you follow Jesus’ example to show love and mercy? Ask God to lead you toward serving someone with the kindness of Jesus. Maybe you’re the one who needs healing, and you’re encouraged by the faith of the man with leprosy. Thank God for loving you, and pray boldly to experience His kindness today.
Want to go deeper? Read the accounts of Jesus healing the man with leprosy found in the other gospels in Mark 1:40-42 and Luke 5:12-14.