Keep Walking & Working!

Matthew 9:9-13

Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” Matthew stood up and followed him. Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?” Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

Food for thought!

As Jesus walked along the shores of Galilee, He passed a man named Matthew who was working at the tax office. Matthew was a tax collector. He worked for the Roman government, collecting taxes for the empire. The Romans came up with a tax quota for each province in the empire. They allowed their private people to bid on the contracts for collecting the taxes in each area. As long as these tax collectors met their quota, Rome didn’t care how much more they collected. As a result, the tax collectors became very rich, (you remember Zacchaeus, in Luke 19:2) as they overcharged the people, paid Rome and kept the difference for themselves. Tax collectors were known as public sinners. Matthew was one of them.

Because Matthew was a tax collector for Rome, he was among the most despised people around. He was viewed as a traitor to his people and to his nation. He must have been also a disappointment to his parents. He was from the tribe of Levi (and you remember that in the Old Testament all priests came from the tribe of Levi).  Instead of serving as a priest, Levi was working in the tax collection business. I am sure that Levi’s parents had great expectations for their son. They hoped he would serve in the Temple as a priest. Instead, Levi became something else, turning his back against everybody's expectations.

As Jesus passed by, He saw this man, sitting by the tax office. Why would Jesus have any use for a man like this? Despite his occupation; his lifestyle; his failures; and his sins; Jesus loved and called him to a new life. The gospel says that JESUS SAW A MAN. This week Jesus has taught us that he sees beyond the surface. He saw Matthew not as everybody saw him but as God sees him. The good religious people of the city despised him. They said: “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?" For these people, Matthew was a crook! For Jesus he was a potential.

Jesus sees the hidden potential in us – Jesus saw Matthew's potential. He saw that Matthew would be a faithful follower of Jesus; he would one day write a Gospel, The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew.

Never give up! Keep praying, keep walking and working. Keep believing! One day you too will write good news of your own; You may not know it but Jesus knows your potential and value, that is why he died for you! To him be praise and honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.