Matthew 8

The leper didn’t ask if Jesus could heal him. He knew Jesus could. What he wasn’t sure about was the willingness. Lord, if you are willing.

That’s a different kind of vulnerability than we usually talk about. It’s not doubt about power. It’s uncertainty about desire. Does He actually want to help me? Am I the kind of person He would choose to heal?

Jesus touched him. You were not supposed to touch a leper. The touch was significant before the words. And then: I am willing. Be clean.

Matthew 8 is a series of healings and encounters that demonstrate authority in every direction. The centurion whose faith amazed Jesus. The disciples in the storm who woke Jesus and were asked: why are you so afraid? The demon-possessed men whom the whole town asked Jesus to leave because of what it cost them economically.

In almost every encounter, people respond to Jesus based on what they think He’s capable of and whether they believe He’s for them. The centurion believed both. The disciples believed the power but not the peace. The town prioritized their pigs over the healing.