Thought for the week

DIFFICULT times can bring out a community spirit that can be lacking when times are good.

Looking after our neighbours, keeping an eye out for those that need it and calling out for help when we need it are especially important at the moment.

There is an account in the Bible of Jesus healing a deaf and mute man.

The details in the account are a timely reminder of how we can show real concern for those around us.

The account in Mark 7:31-37 describes Jesus taking a deaf and mute man to one side, touching his ears and spitting on his own fingers before touching the man’s tongue enabling him to hear and allowing him to talk.

Jesus took the deaf man away from the crowd so that he could receive Jesus’ full attention. The deaf man may not have understood if Jesus had explained to him what he was going to do, so it is thought that Jesus acted out the healing so that the man would know what was happening. Jesus touched the man’s ears to show that he was healing his hearing, and then Jesus spat on his fingers and touched the man’s tongue. In those days, it was thought that saliva had healing properties. Jesus may have been showing the man that he was willing to heal the man’s issue with speaking not just his hearing.

Jesus didn’t just deal with the man’s needs, he showed real concern and demonstrated care for the man.

These are difficult times, but they are an opportunity for us to meet our neighbours needs by demonstrating real concern, showing that we really care.