Are You Willing?

“If you are willing you can make me clean“

That’s what the leper says to Jesus in today’s reading.

What is Jesus’ reply? “I am willing” Of course He is! Why would He not be willing? God’s greatest desire for each of us is that we be clean. Clean of selfishness, clean of dependency on things not of God, clean of judgement, clean of gluttony, and bottom line clean of sin altogether.

The challenge is never whether Jesus is willing, it is whether we are willing to go to Him for the cleansing. We love that Jesus will do and has done the forgiving, but most times we’re not so excited about Him doing the cleaning. We don’t want Jesus to tell us what He told the leper: “Be clean.”

It was an interesting choice of words for Jesus. He says, “If you want to be clean, then be clean.” He doesn’t say, “I’ve cleaned you,” or “Go work on it.” He says “Be it.” The power is Jesus part. The being is ours.