Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the
crowds that were coming to him. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus
sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.
Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home
as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable
sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when
the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax
collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with
such scum?”
When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy
people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who
think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Mark 2:13-17
I was somewhat a nerd when I was in high school. A lot of it was because I tended to be a bit
more open and excitable about things that made me come across as socially
awkward. I was too hyper to be cool and
too sensitive to others. I went to
multiple schools, but the only one that I fit in was a small school in
Boston. Why? Because it did not matter what color I wore
and how I acted like. They just embraced
me because I was . . . Just Kent. Many
of us know groups we did not get along with.
Maybe they wore tattoos or had earrings in places you’d never
consider. Some talked a different way or
said things you did not agree with. Or dare
I say they were overly religious and thought they were better than others. We would not do that, would we? Christians are often accused of being holier
than others even when we are not, but do we have an obligation to help them see
the truth? My response is much like that
to my boss whenever I have to have a tough conversation with one of my staff or
take on a task that I really do not like.
“That’s the job,” I say to myself.
Helping others understand the message of Jesus Christ is as
important as just knowing Him. The
calling of Levi (later called Matthew) discussed in Mark 2 exemplifies what our
approach to others should be. Levi, the
tax collector (in high school terminology, that's the kid who doesn't really
fit in anywhere), is called by Jesus, and Levi invites Him to dinner. The Pharisees (a.k.a. the 'In' crowd) talk
about Jesus (the cool kid) questioning why on earth would He talk to Levi and
other sinners. Pretty snooty, right? Jesus' righteous response was to point out
that He was there not only to call "those who think
they are righteous, but those who know they are
sinners." In one sentence, Jesus
put everyone on the same level playing field.
The climate that we live in today is one of divisiveness with strong
opposing views. Do we look at this as
the chance to challenge others beliefs? Perhaps. However if we want to reach one we do not
understand, we have to get to know them, and to know them means to embrace them
where they are as they are. This is what
Jesus taught in today's verses, and is a blueprint for us to reach those who
initially do not seem within reach or equally as important unlike us.
We all fit under God’s plan.
This means we need to understand everyone is God's child, and if your
circle of people talk, think, and look just like you, you are not serving God's
will. He wants us comfortable being
uncomfortable. Let us embrace that by
seeking understanding of those who do not believe as we do instead of judging
because they do not fit our 'narrative.'
How can you reengage with someone you dismissed because they are
different from you? Who can you reach
out to outside of your comfort zone? My
prayer is that we challenge ourselves to embrace others where they are as Jesus
embraced us where we were. Why? Because, “That's the job!" Amen.
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