While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
It has been nearly four months since my last post (whoops), and for the past week I've been seeing several blogs write about New Year beginnings and whatnot. I had tossed the idea around about writing a New Year post, and upon reading this passage in my devotion today, I decided it was time.
Jesus' words here affect me from two different angles.
1. I am called, even though I am a sinner.
I am far from perfect. I acknowledge that every day. In my almost 21 years on this earth, I have screwed up big time, multiple times. I still feel guilty about certain parts of my past, even though I know I am forgiven. I often don't feel worthy of God's love and forgiveness. His words here remind me that it's okay that I'm not perfect. He doesn't call the "perfect" people (as if they exist anyway). It's okay that I mess up, as long as I repent, because he is preparing me to relate to people who feel the same way I do - that they don't deserve God's love.
2. We all need God.
This is where my New Year thoughts began to kick in. Who is that person you would not take to church? We all have that one. At least one. Maybe they're an alcoholic family member or that outspoken nonbeliever at school/work or maybe they're just a crude friend. We'd be embarrassed to be seen with them at church. We don't want to initiate that conversation with them in the first place. We don't want to offend anyone. Deep down, we don't think they deserve God's grace. I know I'm guilty of these thoughts.
Truth is, I'm just as much of a sinner as the meth addict living in a cardboard box down the street. And he needs God just as much as I do. The question is - are we willing to give it to him? Are we willing to show him love and invite him into an environment where he can learn about grace?
That should be our challenge for 2014. Invite that one person to church. Or to small group. Or even into our home for a meal. You know who that person is. Invite them in.
