In Mark 5:21–43 Jesus allowed himself to become unclean so he could restore broken humanity. Jewish rules of ritual purity declared anyone unclean who touched a menstruating woman or corpse. With both the daughter of the synagogue leader and the woman with the bleeding issue, Jesus allowed himself to become unclean so that he could cleanse and heal them. A woman castigated and rejected by her own people was brought back into society. A father whose pride and joy had been ripped away from him by an untimely death was rewarded beyond his wildest expectations. By these acts, Jesus simply foreshadowed better things to come. He who knew no sin would take on the sins of the entire world to set them free. Jesus modeled serving leadership at the highest level. He willingly risked his reputation, disregarded his personal wellbeing, and stepped into the fray of human brokenness to serve both the lowly and great.

Lead, love, and serve, like Jesus!

KEY QUESTIONS: What does it mean in my time and culture to become unclean? Have I ever experienced rejection by my peers or the broader society around me? What could have been done for me at that moment? Who are the broken in my world today that need me to step in and serve them toward wholeness?