You have been a pariah for more than a decade. Cries of “unclean!” and stares of condemnation follow you everywhere. The social isolation and loneliness add insult to injury. You’ve been bleeding for 12 years, and doctors have done nothing more than bleed your pocket dry.

You’re weak. You’re broken. You’re desperate. You have no money and have earned no sympathy.

But then news of a visitor—someone with a better track record than any doctor—gives you hope. Your mind reels with, “If only . . . “

One final act of desperation will require faith, daring and courage. But you must act, because it could be your last hope.

Desperation Leads to Defiance

We meet the woman with the discharge in all three synoptic gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—but Mark provides the most complete description of the woman’s bold move toward healing.

And a great crowd followed Him and thronged about Him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for 12 years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.”—Mark 5:24-28 (ESV)

Matthew’s account tells that the woman touched the fringe of His garment, meaning its hem. Considering the crowd, this put her at risk of being trampled.

But that wasn’t all she risked. By joining the throng encircling Jesus, the woman was simultaneously exposing herself to ridicule while exposing others to share in her uncleanness. One touch from her was all that it took.

Her brazen act—one requiring immense courage, humility and defiance—blatantly violated Old Testament laws. She was forbidden to enter the temple, yes, but she also was mandated to keep her distance from others.

She did not. Instead, pushing into the crowd, she deliberately touched the hem of Jesus’ garment in faith that she could not make Him unclean, but He could instead cleanse her. In her mind, she had nothing left to lose.

From Faith to Freedom

Her days of loss turned into gain.

And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in Himself that power had gone out from Him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing around You, and yet You say, “Who touched Me?” And He looked around to see who had done it.—Mark 5:29-32 (ESV)

This could have been the woman’s cue to slip through the crowd before she was recognized. However, that’s not what she did.

But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”—Mark 5:33-34 (ESV)

She was afraid to the point of trembling. But she stepped forward as the crowd watched, no doubt in amazement and possibly in judgment.

Then she heard some amazing words: By faith in Jesus, she was a daughter of God; by faith in Him, she had been healed; by faith in Him, she could go forward in peace.

She belonged. She was healed. She had peace. This was everything.

What We Can Learn from Her

The woman with the discharge teaches us to come boldly to the throne of grace and to trust God to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think. 

Confront condemnation with courage. Elevate faith over your fears.

Throw yourself at Jesus’ feet as she did, and know that belonging, healing and peace are just one touch away.

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This is Part 16 in a series about biblical women—some named, some not, some honorable, some less so. But all have earned a place in scripture, and all have important lessons to teach us.