Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
--Mark 5:25-29
Obviously, there was no "single-payer," "universal," "government-run" health insurance at the time of Jesus. The lady had spent all that she had while the hemorrhages grew worse. She was in the grip of a progressive illness.
Counsels of despair would surely be tempting, but this woman is having none of it. Life -- despite its limitations and eventual death -- is still worth living. You can't put a premium-price on life.
And what a faith she had! It is almost embarrassing in its simplicity. If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well. She gave Jesus all she had left: her progressive illness and few grains of faith.
What did Jesus do with the likes of that? What would Jesus do with what we bring to him? Have we tried that out yet?
PD
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