the Leper

My devo reading for yesterday was in Numbers. Chapter 5 deals with those in the Israelite camp with leprosy. It's pretty sad to think about their lives...the Lord says, "send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them." There is seemingly no opportunity for healing. The bottom line...God is pure, you're not, so out of the camp you go. I can't imagine how horrible that must have been.
It makes me think about the leper in Luke 5:12, "While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, 'Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.'"
Jesus was horrified and replied, "um...I'm Jesus, I'm pure and perfect. How dare you even approach me. You are defiling my path, please leave the city at once...oh, and make sure you yell 'unclean' on your way out!"
Ok, that's not really what happened. Jesus saw the man and had compassion. He said, "I am willing." Then He did something wonderful...He touched the man. I have to wonder how long it had been since this man had been touched, how long it had been since anyone had seen him and not been completely disgusted by his appearance. Jesus could have healed him from a distance, but He didn't...He touched the man...He placed His perfect hands on a torn vessel and there was complete healing.
Think of what our lives would be like if we didn't have Jesus. He doesn't just provide us a way to heaven. He meets us where we are. Where our imperfections once put us outside the camp, they now are an avenue for God to be great through us.