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When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean." Jesus stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be made clean." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:1'3 WEB.

Jesus Christ touched the untouchables. Lepers and those with various diseases were considered "unclean" and avoided. If you touched them, you became unclean yourself. Yet, Jesus loved them, touched them, and healed them. The leper in the above verse said, "Lord if You want to, You can make me clean." Then Jesus touched him and said, "I want to." It's so beautiful to read about the Lord doing that, but what if He gives us the same chance? Would we be like Him and love them?

We are His hands and feet on the earth, and I have found that He will put the untouchables right in your path today, and they will snuggle up to you so that you can demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ. We have had the Lord put people into our life as a test, and as long as we resisted, they persisted. Then as soon as we submitted and loved them back, they were gone. Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2).

My wife Sylvia and I once attended a church where I played in the praise team, and she was seated in the sanctuary. Now, Sylvia is one of the sweetest people I've ever met, but she loves her "personal space." And though I smoked thirty years ago, I quit. Now smoking makes me nauseous and gives me a headache when around it. So I try and avoid it as much as possible.

A lady began attending our church and sat right beside us. She wore long-haired, poofy, furry things and smoked like a locomotive. The smoke would permeate every fiber of her clothing and hair and make them sticky with resin. She loved to sit tightly beside you, throw her arm around you, and completely envelope you in an overwhelming mixture of smoke and intense perfume. She joined the intercessory prayer team we led and every group we were a part of like a shadow.

She was as clingy as silk on a winter morning. When she embraced you, feelings of nausea, lightheadedness, mild suffocation, and panic began to wash over you. It left you feeling like you had licked an ashtray and were covered in Christmas tree sap. After the first experience, people tended to shy away from her loving embraces.

As I watched from the stage one morning, I could see Sylvia leaning further and further away. While the overly nice lady leaned in closer and closer until they were almost prone on the chairs. She stuck to Sylvia like a magnet and even followed her to the bathroom. She considered Sylvia her new BFF, and there seemed to be no escape. Months went by. We began to realize that God had broken out the sandpaper to smooth our rough edges.

Eventually, we just gave up and surrendered to God. We hugged her back just as enthusiastically as she hugged us. We met her at the door and gave her a hearty bear hug every time she came to the church. Sometimes we picked her up at her house and brought her to church with us. We took her out to eat and got to know her. Overall she was a sweet person. Soon after that, the season passed, and she was gone from our lives.

God will put the unlovable right in front of you and ask you to love them anyway. My heart goes out to the people who have to experience this, but you will probably face this test as you walk with God. I have heard several others share a similar testimony. Jesus touched the lepers, the sick, the lame, the unloved, even His enemies, and He allowed people to touch Him back (Matthew 8:3, Matthew 20:34, Luke 22:51, Mark 5:27, Luke 7:39, Luke 18:15). So when God places an unlovable person in your life, just be nice and love them back. It works.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for loving me and pray that You help me love others. Please put Your love in me, for mine is lacking. Let me see people through Your eyes, and give me the grace to love them as You do. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: For those following the Creation Photography weekly challenges, here is this week's theme from group leader, Dianna Wyles: Psalm 23: 1-4 "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" ~ Our first fun-tastic theme of 2022 will be'(drum roll please) 'Through Hills, Valleys, and Pastures' because, why not? Our loving Grand Creator is with us wherever we are! On the hills, in the valleys, even in the middle of those beautiful pastures and peaceful moments, we are at ALL times held! As always, our themes are wide open for creative interpretation You are also encouraged to post anything else that inspires you as well. Let it be unconditional love and God's guidance that lights our way into this New Year ~ God bless!Here is the link: Creation Photographers

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