Two Kinds of Withering

Jesus entered a synagogue and saw a man with a withered hand. Jesus had compassion on him and wanted to heal him. But there were other people in the synagogue who also needed healing. Their bodies were healthy, but their hearts had become hardened by sin.

The man’s deformity was visible. Theirs was hidden. Jesus wanted to heal all of them. The difference was that the man with the withered hand knew he needed healing, while the Pharisees refused to acknowledge what was withered within themselves.

Stretch Out Your Hand

Jesus said to the man, “Stand up out in the middle!” The man stepped forward. He did not hide his hand, pretend that nothing was wrong, or compare himself with anyone else. He simply stood before Jesus with his need exposed. Then Jesus commanded him, “Stretch out your hand.”

That required faith and humility. The man had to expose precisely what was weak, damaged, and embarrassing. But when he stretched out his hand, it was completely restored.

This is where all spiritual healing begins. We must be willing to stand before Jesus and admit, “Lord, something in me is withered. I cannot heal it by myself. I need You.”

Looking for Someone to Accuse

The Pharisees did the opposite. They watched Jesus closely “to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him.” The man with the withered hand looked at himself and wanted to be healed. The Pharisees looked at Jesus because they wanted to find fault. They were so focused on finding fault with Jesus that they were blind to what was wrong within themselves. Even when Jesus tried to awaken their consciences, they remained silent.

Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, He looked angrily round at them. He wanted to heal them too, but they resisted Him. They could not receive healing because they would not admit that they needed it.

The Great Escape

We face the same temptation. We can become preoccupied with the sins, failures, and weaknesses of other people, our spouse, our family, our coworkers, people in the Church, or public figures. Their failures may be real. But focusing on them can become a way of escaping responsibility for our own souls. As long as I am focused on the failings of others, I can distract myself from my own sins.

Condemning others is the way we can protect ourselves from admitting that we need to change. But Jesus cannot heal what we refuse to acknowledge, not because His power is limited, but because we will not place our wounds into His hands.

The man received healing because he exposed what was withered. The Pharisees remained sick because they kept searching for something wrong with someone else.

Jesus Wants to Heal You

Jesus is standing before you now. He is not waiting to condemn you. He wants to restore you. But you must be humble enough to show Him what needs healing.

And so He says to you, “Stretch out your hand.”

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