A common narrative in and outside the church is that we cannot get close to Jesus if we are unclean. Rendered this way by our past life and too much sin, the assumption is that God wants nothing to do with us.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In one of Jesus’ many healings, He encounters ten lepers. Leprosy was a skin disease that rendered everyone with it unclean and unable to be a part of normal society because of how contagious it was.

Instead of shooing these unclean people away, afraid of their contagion, Jesus heals them.

His healing had more than physical implications. Because of their healing, they would be deemed “clean” and able to reenter society—fully restored.

Jesus is not afraid of our uncleanliness, because when He touches us, He is not made unclean—we are made clean.

In fact, the very person you want to run to when you are unclean is the only one who can restore you fully: Jesus.

Next time you think your sin is too great or that God is too holy to be around you, remember: it is not you who transforms Him, but Him who transforms you.

Run to Him to be made clean, whole, and healed.

Luke 17:11 And it happened that while He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing through Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him. 13 And they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And it happened that as they were going, they were cleansed. 15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? 18 Was there no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”