"Unclean!"
"Those who suffer from a serious skin disease must tear their clothing and leave their hair uncombed. They must cover their mouth and call out, `Unclean! Unclean!' (Leviticus 13:45 NLT)
What in the world? That what was going through my head as I read today's reading. If the hair is white then you are unclean? If you are unclean you may have to burn your clothing? Is this real? As one person said today of the reading, "Don't read this while you are eating!" Well said, Allison Baxter!
Again, we see the holiness of God & the purity in which we must approach him. When we are unclean we are not able to stand before him. This points not just to a physical uncleanness but a spiritual one as well. We must be clean to come to God. We cannot be clean on our own, therefore our need for the blood of Christ to make us pure.
Also, the isolation regarding skin diseases is often harsh. Necessary, but harsh. As this passage says, a person must tear their clothes, not brush their hair, cover their mouth, & cry out "Unclean"!
Think about the implications of this. No one wanted to be around these people. What if you got their disease? They were to stay away from such people. Can you imagine the physical, emotional, relational, & spiritual isolation?
This is what makes Jesus so radical. We see him heal such outcasts in the gospels multiple times. When others step away, he steps toward. When others gasp in horror, he has compassion. When others ignore, Jesus invades. He comes toward them, even TOUCHES them! This is how radical Jesus was with people. He loved recklessly.
He has set the pattern for us. This is how we are to love. We are to love people that others will not love. We are to go to the places that others refuse to go. We are to embrace those that the world casts out. We are to invite those that the world rejects. We are to be Jesus to those that most need his love.
This means a willingness to risk. A willingness to get dirty. A willingness to do what's unpopular. A willingness to be different. A willingness to be like Jesus.
Why?
Because he once reached out to us in our disease! Because he walked toward us when others walked away! Because he was willing to come to us rather than wait for us to try to come to him (which is impossible)! Because he embraced us in our sin & cleansed us by his blood! We are only extended to others what we have received from him.
Grace.
Love.
Acceptance.
Hope.
Cleansing.
Who can we extend these to today?
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