There was Levi-- Matthew-- the tax collector, sitting at his booth doing his thing that everyone despises-- collecting taxes. It wasn't that he was hated because he worked for the IRS, it was because the way he and other tax collectors did it. You see, they were given authority by the government to collect whatever they wanted from the citizens. They were obligated to pay a certain amount to the government, but whatever they could collect above that, they were allowed to keep. This made them despicable to the people around them. Here was Levi, a Jew, but working for the Roman government. Not only that, he did it in a way that was counter to the teaching of God. Levi had wealth, but not a lot of love from the people. Politically, he would not be one to align with if you're trying to win the hearts of those around you. But Jesus doesn't care. He sees him for who he is, and bestows love and honor upon him. The other religious leaders are aghast. How can this man hang out with tax collectors and sinners like this? And Jesus shows us a different path. By his modeling, he asks, "how can you not?" It's not about conforming to the ways of that person (Jesus didn't become a tax collector), but building a relationship so that they might see a different choice in the way they live. Next time you find yourself avoiding another person because you're just too good for them, let your mind go back to this scene, and ask yourself, "what would Jesus do?"
Readings: Numbers 33:40-35:34; Luke 5:12-28; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 11:23
