Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ » (Mark 1:41).
The man with leprosy requested healing in a rather strange way. He said to Jesus, «If you are willing, you can make me clean» (verse 40). He didn’t say, «If you are able.» Jesus could do anything. The diseased man knew that. What he wanted to know was Do you want to heal me?
I recently worked on a video for the General Conference Youth Department. It showed groups of teens from around the world working on mission projects far from their native lands. On my monitor I saw hardworking young people lugging cement blocks across a fast-flowing river, mixing mortar by hand, whitewashing a newly built school, helping a dentist extract an infected tooth, cutting down trees, and laying brick.
Then I watched as those same teenagers led the singing in Sabbath Schools, delivered sermons in churches, told Bible stories through puppets and skits, and harmonized their voices together, accompanied by strumming guitars.
Never once did I see a teen sitting off in a corner saying, «I can’t do this. I can’t do this.» They knew, as I know, that young people can do anything. So the question isn’t «Can I?» It’s «Will I?» People of the world aren’t asking you, «Can you help me?»
They’re pleading, «Will you help me?»
Today, as you set out to show God’s love to those around you, never doubt your abilities. Instead, work to develop a strong willingness to be of service to God and others.