hand moment

I have been pondering over the last few days
the story of the man with the crippled hand

this story is found in three of the gospels
with only Luke mentioning the fact
that it was a right hand that was crippled
perhaps Luke noted that with his physician's eyes

in any case
some things I have noted

this all took place in the synagogue
on the Sabbath
in the midst of pharisees

there was a man
whose hand was deformed or crippled in some manner
we are not told if this had been since birth
or was due to an accident
or an illness

however
in that time
a deformity of any sort
was a source of shame
and this man
would have been very very careful
to always keep his shame a secret
hidden in the folds of his robes

suddenly there is Jesus

Jesus
asks this man
to stand up so that everyone can easily see him
to stand up in the midst of the pharisees
to stand up in the synagogue
to stand up on the Sabbath

Jesus
asks him to hold out his hand

Jesus
did not say which hand
giving this man the choice
of holding out his good hand
his perfect hand
for all to see

or

holding out his crippled hand
exposing his source of shame
in the midst of the pharisees
in the synagogue
on the Sabbath

and this man
chose
to be healed

to be freed of shame

and what would my response be
if Jesus
asked me to stand up
in the midst of the pharisees
in the sanctuary
on the Sabbath

and expose my crippled hand