Daily Devotional - November 11th, 2025

“And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.” — Mark 1:41

“True compassion does not pause at discomfort; it reaches through pain to touch the soul.” — Alma Ohene-Opare

Commentary:

Today I was contemplating an African proverb that has resonated with me for more than two decades. It says “You cannot befriend a leper and shun his handshake.” In the days of Christ, lepers were the most avoided people in society—outcasts marked by fear and rejection. Yet when Jesus met them, He did not stand at a safe distance or offer words from afar. He touched them. That single act defied cultural norms and revealed the heart of divine love: mercy that refuses hypocrisy. We cannot claim to care for people’s souls while recoiling from their scars.

Our modern “lepers” may not bear visible disease, but they carry wounds of shame, addiction, poverty, or sin. To say we love them while avoiding their presence is a contradiction of the gospel. Real friendship, real discipleship, demands risk. It means seeing the image of God beneath the stain of imperfection. The handshake symbolizes acceptance, and when we refuse it, we reveal fear rather than faith.

If our nation is to heal, we must rediscover the courage to touch the untouchable—to listen, forgive, and lift those the world ignores. Christ did not sanitize His compassion. He engaged it. That is how hearts are changed, and how freedom, both spiritual and social, is preserved.

Scripture:

“And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.” — Mark 1:41

Daily Application:

Reach out—literally or figuratively—to someone you have avoided. Offer kindness without judgment, and let your compassion outweigh your comfort.