I have sometimes wondered why Jesus so frequently touched the people he healed, many of whom must have been unattractive, obviously diseased, unsanitary, smelly. With his power, he easily could have waved a magic wand. In fact, a wand would have reached more people than a touch. He could have divided the crowd into affinity groups and organized his miracles--paralyzed people over there, feverish people here, people with leprosy there--raising his hands to heal each group efficiently, en masse. But he chose not to. Jesus' mission was not chiefly a crusade against disease (if so, why did he leave so many unhealed in the world and tell followers to hush up details of healings?), but rather a ministry to individual people, some of whom happened to have a disease. He wanted those people, one by one, to feel his love and warmth and his full identification with them. Jesus knew he could not readily demonstrate love to a crowd, for love usually involves touching. Paul Brand
Some Similar Quotes
  1. All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart. - Tahereh Mafi
  2. If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. - Mother Teresa
  3. Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive. - Dalai Lama Xiv
  4. As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap... - Pythagoras
  5. I never lie, " I said offhand. "At least not to those I don't love. - Anne Rice
More Quotes By Paul Brand
  1. Love rules the court, the camp, the grove, and men below, and the saints above, for love is heaven, and heaven is love.
  2. Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.
  3. I pretend not to be a champion of that same naked virtue called truth, to the very outrance. I can consent that her charms be hidden with a veil, were it but for decency's sake.
  4. My hope, my heaven, my trust must be, My gentle guide, in following thee.
  5. Fight on, brave knights! Man dies, but glory lives! Fight on; death is better than defeat! Fight on brave knights! for bright eyes behold your deeds!
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