White Board Witticisms

And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

Mark 5:34

So my wise and trusted counselor--I think I'll start calling him "Wiseguy" because it'll make him laugh--has a white board in his office. Whenever we meet, the first thing I do is read the board. There's always something scrawled up there in red or blue marker that makes me go, "Huh?"

It was true yesterday--and there were only two quotes written on the board. Usually the board is filled top to bottom, side to side, with words. But, new year, clean board, I guess.

Here's one of the two:

The actions of Jesus make statements about how He sees and values people.

Jesus cared about the woman who'd been bleeding for years--so much so that He accepted her touch and healed her, even though the Law said she was unclean.

Jesus cared about the ten lepers begging to be freed of an atrocious disease that left them isolated from others. He healed them, even though the law said they were unclean.

Jesus raised people from the dead.
Jesus ate with tax collectors--the lowest of the low in that society.
Unclean. Unclean. Unclean.
Or so the Law said.

But Jesus' actions said He valued these people more than the prohibitions of the Law. The Law pushes people away. Jesus pulls people close. The Law limits relationship. Jesus is Emmanual, God with us. Up close and personal.

Thinking out loud here: We Accidental Pharisees are a bit uncomfortable with up close and personal. Our dos and don'ts limit relationships--and hinder our ability to truly value people. Or maybe it's that they reveal how much we do (or don't) value people. Which do we value more: law or people?