I read that Francis of Assisi was terrified of leprosy. One day while traveling on a narrow path, he came face to face with a leper. For fear of contamination by the loathsome disease, he instinctively put as much distance as possible between himself and this stranger as he passed by. Immediately he felt convicted so turned around, ran back, cast his arms around the sufferer’s neck, kissed him, and passed on.

A moment later he looked back. There was no one there. All he could see was the empty path. For the rest of his days he was sure that the stranger whom he had embraced wasn’t a leper, but Christ himself.

By Dick Innes, Daily Encounter www.actsweb.org/detoday . Used by permission.