Matthew dedicates just two brief verses to the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, yet they capture a profound transformation: the moment she was healed, she eagerly began to serve Jesus and his disciples.
When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him (Matthew 8:14-15).
If I were to write a book, it would take an entire chapter—not just a couple of verses—to properly describe Ruby. After being healed of cancer, she became one of the most beautiful, dedicated servants of the Lord I have ever known.
Ruby’s story began in a small, rural town in western Louisiana, where her father sold tamales to make ends meet. She grew up in a makeshift house with exposed stud walls insulated by cardboard, using simple curtains for doors. Her teenage years were marked by deep struggle and hardship, leading to a difficult life raising several children by different men.
I met Ruby at the first church I served after graduating from seminary—a small mission sponsored by the largest church in the area. Her children started attending our services, and one day, they came to me with a request: “Our mom would like to be baptized.” When I asked for the story behind her decision, they explained that God had healed her of cancer. Overwhelmed by His grace, she was ready to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus.
At the time, our sponsoring church had a clothing closet that was practically bursting at the seams. They asked our mission to take over its management, so we constructed a small building on our property. Ruby stepped up and transformed it into a thrift store where every item was sold for just 50 cents.
While the store had official operating hours, Ruby’s heart was always open. She lived in public housing just across the street from the church, and if anyone needed clothes after hours, they only had to knock on her door. She would walk over, unlock the shop, and welcome them in. It didn’t matter who walked through those doors; Ruby treated every single person with the dignity, warmth, and respect you would expect to find in a high-end department store.
When I think about Ruby today, words fall short of capturing her vibrant spirit. She was small in stature but possessed a towering, humble, and fiercely loving drive to help others. Her deep, unshakable gratitude for what Jesus had done in her life was the engine behind her service.
Healing and God’s Purposes
When we reflect on God’s love, it is dramatically displayed in how He heals. We might imagine God simply speaking healing over those He loves, assuming that would be enough. But as we read further in Matthew’s Gospel, we see that His healing came at a tremendous cost.
That evening they brought to him many who were possessed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases’ (Matthew 8:16-17).
God’s Kingdom broke into the world through Jesus and his ministry. We might expect a king to simply flex his power and demand submission, but Jesus demonstrated His rule by suffering, dying on the cross, and rising from the grave three days later. In doing so, He took our infirmities upon Himself and emerged completely victorious. Jesus heals by dealing with the very root of our brokenness.
Like Peter’s mother-in-law, Ruby, and millions of others throughout history, we can thank the Lord for who He is. He bore our diseases to give us the best life possible. And, like those who have been touched by His grace, we can express our deepest gratitude not only with our words but by joyfully serving others.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 