9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:9-13)
Thoughts: Matthew writes of his own testimony. Matthew was willing to leave his despised but lucrative life as a tax collector to be a follower of Christ. Matthew had found hope and purpose beyond just earning money. He wanted to share that hope with his former friends- who were not religious leaders but other tax collectors and sinners. Tax collectors were despised because they worked with the hated Romans. Sinners were those who not only sinned but did not repent or live by faith. The Pharisees wanted to keep themselves pure from collaborators with Gentiles and those who lived selfish, evil lives. But it is not the healthy who need humility and repentance but those who are in need.
This doesn't teach us to hate the rules as much as it should teach us to be more gracious and loving than we tend to be. It also should teach us to befriend people that may not have it altogether. We do not have to have it altogether to come to Jesus. Jesus comes to us in love and helps us to get it together. It is not that these people Jesus ate with do not have needs- they need a "doctor" and healing. But the doctor went among the sick, and we are called not to live in holy huddles- with the salt of the world still in the salt shaker. We are called to get out there- and to let the light and love of Christ shine through us.
This doesn't teach us to hate the rules as much as it should teach us to be more gracious and loving than we tend to be. It also should teach us to befriend people that may not have it altogether. We do not have to have it altogether to come to Jesus. Jesus comes to us in love and helps us to get it together. It is not that these people Jesus ate with do not have needs- they need a "doctor" and healing. But the doctor went among the sick, and we are called not to live in holy huddles- with the salt of the world still in the salt shaker. We are called to get out there- and to let the light and love of Christ shine through us.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be humble and listen to you. Give me grace to care for the hurting in life- those who need a little extra grace. Thank you that you pour your grace on me when I do not deserve it.
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