Not the Healthy but the Sick...

Scripture: Mark 2:13-17 -
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

 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.”

Observation:
Jesus called disciples to himself. Levi is chosen to be part of Jesus' closest disciples. This was a bold move since Levi was a tax collector. Tax collectors were not very welcome in Jewish society because they were working for the Roman government. They also charged more taxes than necessary. This was not the group to be associated with if one wanted to be accepted by others.

Jesus hanging out and attending dinner with "such people" made the Pharisees quite upset. Jesus rightly points out that they are the ones who really need him. He did not condone their sin but called them to repentance.

Application:
There is none who are righteous, including me [Romans 3:10]. I need to see people the way Jesus does. He gave Levi a chance even though he was despised by everyone in society. I need to do the same. I need to show love to others. But showing love does not mean I can ignore the wrongs that others do.

Prayer:
Father, you were a friend of sinners. Help me be the same way. In Jesus name, amen.