Jesus Still Touches the Untouchable
“A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be clean!’” (Mark 1:40–41)
In Jesus’ day, leprosy was more than a disease—it was a sentence. Those who had it were separated from their families, pushed to the edges of society, and labeled unclean. They were not only sick in body but wounded in spirit, carrying shame, loneliness, and rejection every day of their lives.
Yet when the man with leprosy came to Jesus, something remarkable happened. Jesus touched him.
Before healing him.
Before restoring him.
Before sending him back to his community.
Jesus crossed every social, religious, and cultural boundary to make one thing clear: this man was not forgotten.
Our work among people affected by leprosy reflects this same heart of Christ. When we step into leper colonies, we are not simply delivering food or financial support. We are carrying a message that echoes the Gospel itself:
You are seen. You are loved. You belong.
Throughout Scripture, God consistently reveals His heart for outcasts. Leviticus shows us how leprosy isolated people, but the Gospels show us how Jesus restores them. What the law declared “unclean,” Jesus declared “worthy of touch.”
This is the heart of Bridges’ mission: God still uses ordinary hands to carry His extraordinary compassion wherever He leads.
In India and other parts of the world, leprosy still brings rejection, poverty, and isolation. Families are torn apart. Children grow up believing they are untouchable. But when we come near with an outstretched arm, a message of hope, and relief efforts instead of pulling away, the Kingdom of God breaks in. Hope is restored. Lives are changed. Love has conquered the essence of death … they are no longer unclean!
Our work among lepers reminds us that the Gospel is not lived at a distance. Love must move toward suffering, not away from it. Like Jesus, we are called to be present, to listen, to serve, and sometimes to sit beside someone the world has forgotten.
Every visit, every prayer, every meal shared becomes a living testimony: Jesus is willing.
Father, give us Your eyes to see those the world overlooks and Your courage to touch places others avoid. May our partnership on behalf of the forgotten and suffering reflect Your heart of compassion. Use us together to bring healing, dignity, and hope in Jesus’ name. Amen.