Mark 14:3 “While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. “

When you read this story in Matthew and Mark what do you focus on? I don’t know about you, but most everyone zeroes in right away on the alabaster vial. There have been songs written about it. Babbie Mason even entitled a Christian album by that name.

But did you notice the first phrase, “While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon THE LEPER”? Jesus was reclining at the table with a leper? Really? Most scholars agree that Simon was probably a former leper who was still known as Simon the Leper. And since Jesus was the guest of honor He was probably reclining right next to Simon. Perhaps Jesus had healed Simon, and thus the reason He was at his home. We don’t know for sure, but the fact remains, Simon was known as Simon the Leper. What a nickname!

So what’s the lesson we can teach our kids from this passage? Nicknames stick? Be careful who you eat with? No! The lesson is that Jesus loved Simon, no matter what people called him. People probably shunned him. People probably avoided shaking Simon’s hand. Not Jesus. He reclined right next to him and ate with him. And we can assume Simon loved Jesus.

We need to teach our kids to accept others who may be different than us. We need to love on the unlovable. We need to accept those who the world may shun. Why? Because Jesus did! And He asks us to do the same. Why don’t you reach out this week to someone you normally wouldn’t? Show your kids that you too can love a “Simon.”