By Sandy Kirby Quandt

A favorite episode of mine in the life of Jesus is the account in Matthew chapter 9 where Jesus has called Matthew, the despised tax collector, to follow him. Matt is so excited to know Jesus, he throws Jesus and the other disciples a dinner party. To introduce his friends to the Messiah, Matt invites his buds…who happen to also be tax collectors.

Boy, oh boy, did the religious leaders of the day throw a hissy-fit. They accused Jesus of eating with sinners. Imagine that. The horror.

Well, you know what? I’m glad Jesus did eat with those sinners because that shows me there’s hope I’ll get to sit down to dinner with Jesus too, some day.

Maybe you’ve been in similar situations. Maybe people who consider themselves righteous have questioned who you spend time with when you’re witnessing for Jesus. Maybe you’re the person others have questioned their friends about hanging around with, sharing the Gospel.

As I’ve mentioned before, the only opinion that matters is God’s.

Are we doing what God tells us in the Bible we’re supposed to do? Are we keeping from doing what he tells us we aren’t supposed to do? Have we committed our life to serving Jesus, and him only? Are we going into all the world…?

How can we be light to a world in darkness if we never meet those people who need the light of Jesus shined into their dark world?

We’re supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus reaching out to those who need his touch. Hard to do if we never step close enough to speak those words of life.

Jesus ate with sinners…what about us?

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Later, as Jesus was in the house sitting at the dinner-table, a good many tax-collectors and other disreputable people came on the scene and joined him and his disciples. The Pharisees noticed this and said to the disciples, “Why does your master have his meals with tax-collectors and sinners?” But Jesus heard this and replied, “It is not the fit and flourishing who need the doctor, but those who are ill! Suppose you go away and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’. In any case I did not come to invite the ‘righteous’ but the ‘sinners’.”  Matthew 9:10-13 (Phillips)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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