After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Mark 3:5 NAS

The scene of this healing was in the synagogue.  It is interesting that it took place there but certainly not a coincidence.  One of the sub-plots was Jesus pointing out the stark unbelief of the religious leaders.  Alas, this was only one of many lessons of the Master that were lost on His audience.

When Jesus came to the synagogue that day He immediately saw the man with a withered hand.  The Scribes and Pharisees knew the man with the withered hand was there as well and were watching Jesus to see if He would violate their burdensome laws associated with the Sabbath.

Desiring to teach them all about the compassion of God, Jesus called the man to come forward and to stretch out his hand.  Here we find the moment of truth and the point of this event.  Would the man stretch out his good hand as if nothing was wrong with him?  Would he try to hide his embarrassment in spite of the fact he was known by all present as having this deformity?

To the man’s credit he trusted Jesus for the healing.  Jesus’ question to the gathered assembly, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” was intended to enable them to understand God’s compassion for our struggles.  He was asking them to be real with Him; to place the welfare of God’s creation above their self-contrived rules.

Sadly they missed it.  Today, make it a point to both accept and extend compassion.  God wants to make you whole and complete.  But He also wants us to understand that He expects us to be compassionate toward people.  The reality of the Christian life is to be “real” with Jesus.

Trust Him today for your own healing and see the wonderful works He will do through you to touch other lives.