By Angela Ryo

One of the encounters I’ve treasured the most comes from the Bible. It’s a no-name character who often goes by the title of the “bleeding woman” or the “hemorrhaging woman” because she’s been bleeding for 12 years until she touches Jesus. At the lowest rung of her society, she is only identified by her disease.

If blood symbolized life in Jesus’ world and it did as it also does today, then you can say that life had been slowly draining out of her for 12 years, rendering her almost lifeless. Socially, financially, spiritually, and physically, she was becoming lifeless. It would have been so much easier for her to say, “I give up. I choose defeat and death rather than life because they are so much closer to me than life right now. Whatever I do, life blood just keeps draining out of me!” But even through 12 years of getting life drained out of her, she doesn’t say that. Rather, she says to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” If I only connect to Jesus, I will be made well. If I only connect to the life source, I will have life. Her faith allows her to step out and choose life.

My encounter with her makes me wonder how long have I been part of something that has been draining life out of me? When was the last time I chose convenience over life? When was the last time I chose toxic relationship over life? When was the last time I chose shame over life? When was the last time I chose to be silent in the face of injustice over life? Then I realize that faith is about having the courage to choose life again and again. Just like this woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She makes me hopeful that I, too, can choose life regardless of how many times I had done otherwise in the past.

My encounter with her also makes me realize that I don’t give myself the permission to dream and imagine a future that’s different from the one I already have because I’m afraid of rejection, uncertainty, and/or repercussion. I don’t give myself the permission to choose life because I don’t think I’m worth it. Because I think it’s too risky. Because — for so many reasons. The woman who had been bleeding for 12 years could have easily said all of those things. YET she gives herself permission to reach out and touch Jesus — nobody in that crowd would have or could have given her that permission. In fact, if she had asked, they would have been outraged and said absolutely not! What kind of permission am I giving myself today?

And it’s when I choose life, that’s when I hear Jesus calling the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, “daughter”. This is the ONLY time Jesus calls someone a “daughter” in the gospels.  She finally means something to somebody — she’s no longer defined by her disease but by a relationship.

Jesus embraces all twelve years of his daughter’s suffering, pain, bleeding, loneliness and rejection and says to her, “Whatever you believe about yourself, whatever the world tells you about who you are, whatever life you’ve lived until now, take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” The bleeding woman is now somebody’s daughter, connected to her father, connected to a family, connected and restored to her rightful place in her society. My encounter with her makes me want to choose life — again and again.

In Deuteronomy 30:19, Moses says, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life.”

What about you? Will you choose life today?

Angela Ryo currently serves as the Associate Pastor for Christian Formation at Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She enjoys taking long walks, reading, listening to NPR, and drinking good coffee with friends and strangers alike.