Optimist Roundtable
By Martha Sykes
Some of the favorite stories of Jesus that I like to read in the Bible are those about when He healed people. In the book of Luke, chapter 10, verses 10 through 17 is the story of Jesus healing the crippled woman. As we picture that scene of Jesus reaching out and healing this woman who had been crippled for eighteen years, it makes us wonder how the people that were in that crowd on this particular day, used their hands as they watched Him reach out to her.
We can only picture this woman with her hands hanging at her side with a longing to be able to touch this man who was healing people during this time. After all those years had she given up thinking that no one cared for her? Or could her hands have been clenched tightly in anger because of her condition?
Perhaps her friends, family or strangers around her might have used their hands in a gesture of love to help push her closer to Jesus. Maybe the arms of the Pharisees had their arms and hands crossed in disgust at this man who had become so popular for His acts of love and healing as He traveled the land. Did Jesus’s disciples get upset with the synagogue leaders for getting angry about Jesus healing on the Sabbath? As we read this passage of scripture and know what we know about Jesus, we can imagine that He would reach out His hand of mercy to touch this woman.
On that day, those who criticized Jesus were “humiliated” it says in verse 17, but the people in the crowd were “ delighted” with all the wonderful things He was doing!! We can picture the overwhelming surprise and joy of the crowd as they extended their hands in praise to this wonderful miracle worker in their presence. They were amazed at how much Jesus cared about this poor woman who was bent over for years! When the crowd calmed down, the hands of that woman were probably brought together in prayer, praise, and gratitude.
Lord, please help us to trust in You like this woman and help us to never give up believing that You have the whole world in Your hands!! Use our hands to bring hope to this world that we live in today!
