Similarly Different

As we wrap up this section in Luke 8, when Jesus healed the woman with a discharge of blood on His way to heal Jairus’ daughter in which He ends up raising her from the dead, we see a lot of contrasting aspects to the two situations and yet it’s also comparable in these individuals. Since we’ve been going through this section devotionally for the last several weeks, we’re going to switch things up this week. Let’s look at the contrasts and similarities first and then we’ll end with the entire scripture section.

1. Known & Unknown: Jairus was a ruler in the synagogue and would have been known publicly and held in high regard among the people. We don’t even know the woman’s name, but she had been ostracized by the people because of her uncleanness.
2. Same Number of Years Spent Differently: Jairus’ daughter was 12 years old, and yet for the length of time she had been alive, the woman had been suffering with a discharge of blood. For 12 years, Jairus’ daughter had been able to live her life, but for 12 years the woman had been suffering through hers.
3. Rich & Poor: Jairus being a ruler and important person in the culture, would have had more wealth than most, but the woman was poor because she had spent all her money on physicians trying to be healed.
4. Publicly vs Secretly: Jairus came publicly to Jesus to ask for a healing for his daughter, and the woman came secretly as if to be healed and slip away unnoticed.
5. Varying Thoughts on Healing: By Jairus’ actions, he thought Jesus needed to come perform a healing, and by the woman’s actions she thought she only needed to touch the fringe of Jesus garment to be healed.
6. Immediate vs Delay: Jesus immediately responded to the woman’s touch and had a personal experience with her, yet He responded to Jairus after a delay on the way to his house.
7. Silence vs Proclamation: Jairus’ daughter was healed in secret and Jesus told them not to tell anyone. The woman was healed publicly and proclaimed what had happened in the presence of everyone.

This isn’t a comparison of Jairus and the woman in an attempt to make one look better than the other. We are all unique and are all in need of Jesus in some way, yet we may live and suffer differently. Ultimately, both Jairus’ daughter and the woman needed healing, but who they were, their faith, their circumstances – they were very different. Jesus met everyone involved exactly where they were in exactly the way they needed to be met.

Your Own Healing

As mentioned before, physical healing may or may not be God’s will in your life, but spiritual healing is. You can trust God’s will for your life and find comfort in the fact that no matter where you are physically, emotionally, or spiritually, God can meet you exactly where you are. The thing that Jairus and the woman had in common is that they both purposed to go to Jesus for healing. Will you go to Him for yours?

Other’s Suffering

We all face hardship in this life and while they may be similar in some ways, they are also different in other ways. We can understand one another by the similarities we face as human beings, but we also have to have grace and understanding, compassion and mercy for one another in our differences, the way Jesus did. Even if their suffering is because of their own actions, it’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance so anything short of kindness on our part is falling short of being a good ambassador for Christ. When you see other people suffering, are you moved to compassion and led by the Spirit in how to minister to them?

Last But Certainly Not Least

I’ll leave you with the whole section of Luke 8 because I hope and pray that as you read through this section again, the things the Holy Spirit has spoken to you over the last several weeks will be stirred again to remembrance and allow you to meditate on the truths He’s teaching you. I pray you believe and go in peace, my friend!

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus' feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:40-56)