JESUS SAYS, …FOLLOW ME!
Jesus saw something in Levi – some glimmer of humanity, love or perhaps some kernel of righteousness. Jesus called him to follow him as a disciple. He got up immediately and followed him. Jesus joined him and other tax collectors for dinner – (maybe hoping to get an insight into their story, maybe even challenging some of their practices and ways of doing things.) Jesus saw a big picture of him. He who was once writing for the Romans now he became the. first in the lists of the New Testament
LEVI WAS A TAX COLLECTOR
A tax collector or taxman was an official who collects unpaid taxes from a person or corporations. Tax collectors were known to exploit and ‘overtax’ everyday people to fill their own coffers. Tax collectors were notorious for being less than honest ‘bullies’ to get what they wanted at the expense of law-abiding people trying to make ends meet and take care of their families. Tax collectors work for a pagan empire, tax collectors works for the enemy. Tax collectors were despised by the people.
HOLIER THAN THOU GROUP OF MEN
The Pharisees, those who tightly embrace the ‘letter of the law’, challenge Jesus – how can you eat with these sinners, these tax collectors, these low life…? Once again, Jesus, confronts them and challenges them with their own (false) righteousness. The Pharisees saw themselves as above the law – the righteous enforcers and judges. One of the accusations laid against Jesus was the fact that he associates himself with social outcast .Mk2: 15-17, Lk:7:36-50; 15:1-2; 19:1-10). That is why Jesus says to them, you think you are ‘perfect’, above the law and therefore not in need of God’s help.
WHAT ABOUT US ?
Do you think you are lost often times during your prayer time? Do you feel some persons cannot change?Do you only show your love to those who will celebrate you tomorrow? Have you delayed your own passion to follow Jesus because you are afraid of where he will send you? Or perhaps, you have forgotten how important just being a true witness in the everyday is to the work of the Kingdom of God? Are we good Christians only at Church but outside we are wicked people? Do we do good to those who are only close to us? Do we seek favor for favor? Do we put our judge others from our biases?
WHAT WE NEED TO DO?
Pray always and at all times; for in prayer you offer yourself to God. Through prayer and conversation, by listening to his voice, noticing his presence or face in the midst of our everyday activities, personal and collective decisions. To allow him to move us, shape us, and prevent us from getting too far from him. We, like Levi, Samuel and Saul need to allow God, the king of kings to see something in us. He is calling us and we need to respond – we need to follow.
Joseph
