By Andrew Williams
“I was sick and you visited me…” – Matthew 25:36
Good morning fellow disciples.
Sickness and disability can be incredibly isolating experiences. When our bodies or minds don’t function the way they “should,” it’s easy to feel like outsiders in a world that prizes health, strength, and self-sufficiency.
But for followers of Jesus, caring for the sick and disabled is not an optional add-on to our faith – it is a central part of what it means to be His disciples. Time and again, the Gospels show us a Savior who reached out with compassion to those who were hurting, marginalized, or seen as “unclean” by society.
In the story of the paralytic man, Jesus didn’t just heal the man’s physical ailment – he restored his dignity, his community, and his relationship with God (Mark 2:1-12). And when a disabled man encountered Jesus at the pool of Bethesda, the Lord didn’t chastise him for his condition, but empowered him to take up his mat and walk (John 5:1-15).
These accounts reveal a God who sees the humanity in those the world often ignores or overlooks.
This kind of love requires sacrifice. It means slowing down, listening closely, and using our time and resources to meet practical needs. It means advocating for justice and challenging societal prejudices. And at its core, it means seeing each person, regardless of their condition, as infinitely valuable in the eyes of their Creator.
As we grow in this compassion, we not only bless those who are sick or disabled – we also align ourselves more closely with the heart of our Savior. For when we love the “least of these,” we love Jesus himself (Matthew 25:40).
Prayer: Father God, give us eyes to see the hurting around us, and the courage to respond with the same tender care that Jesus modeled. As we step out with compassionate hearts use us to be Your instruments of healing, showing love to those who are sick and disabled. Amen
Amen