This may seem like a small thing to find delight in, but made me happy. Matthew 26:6 says, “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper…” Leviticus 13 and 14 provide the details regarding lepers and how they were to be treated. Those with skin diseases were pronounced unclean. They were shut up in their homes, not allowed to take part in the assemblies, no one touched them without becoming unclean themselves.

Two of my children suffer from a skin disease. When they were smaller, they were subject to stares and questions and comments from nosy people. What’s wrong with his skin? Did you get into some poison ivy? Is it safe for him to be in the pool with the other children? I don’t even know all the ways that eczema has affected their hearts and minds. But I know that there’s healing even for hurtful words.

I think about Simon the leper before his encounter with the savior, pronounced unclean and barred from worship, and the Simon in Matthew 26, seated across the table from the Son of God. I imagine Jesus had healed Simon of his skin disease, but the leper moniker stuck. How sad. I love how Jesus honors Simon, returning dignity to him by entering his home and sharing a meal with him and their friends.

I am thankful for a savior who bore all of our illnesses, who heals all our diseases, and who opens the way of salvation for unclean people like me.

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I look forward to reading what delighted you this week!

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