Your Love Is Extravagant

I was listening to this song during our down time the other
day and this one line really struck me. I have found in my short time in Swazi
that it is virtually impossible to get my hands and feet  clean. No matter how many times I make an
attempt to wash them, my nails seem to be caked with dirt and there is a
stickiness that appears to be permanent. It would seem that our living
conditions here are anything BUT extravagant. However, I have recently
discovered the real meaning of extravagance. It appears that every time we pray
over our day as a team, we ask God to let us be his hands and his feet to
minister to his people. I am almost certain that while Jesus was on earth, he
must have had filthy hands and feet. He went to the lowliest places and spent
time with the dirtiest of people, and yet, he was never offended by their
uncleanliness. Here was the very son of God. He was the light of the world, the
hope for all of  humanity, and he chose
to share his extravagance with the most helpless of people. He became unclean so
that we could be made pure. During our short time in Swaziland we have had the
opportunity to come into contact with so many orphans. They are covered in
dust, some have snot and left over food caked on their faces, some are smelly,
but all are the beloved children of God. If we really want to be like Jesus, if
we want to be his hands and feet, we must be willing to meet the children in
their dirtiness. We must be willing to be caked with dust, snot, and odor in order
to show them love. So now when I look down at my hands and feet, I don’t look
at them in disgust. I look at them with awe and wonder that God would use them
to bring him glory. By earthly standards my hands and feet may seem to be
soiled, but I believe whole heartedly that when God looks at them he smiles. He
smiles because they are covered with the extravagance of his love.