This was Levi, the son of Alpheus. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” And Levi got up and
followed him. And it so happened that, when Jesus was eating in Levi’s house, tax collectors
and sinners sat with him and his disciples; there were a lot of them, and they used to follow
Jesus. But Pharisees, men educated in the law, when they saw Jesus eating with sinners
and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does your master eat and drink with tax collectors
and sinners?” Jesus heard them, and answered, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick
people do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Reflect

Do not judge.” A legalistic attitude often leads to self-righteousness. This happens when one
thinks of himself as the one who follows the rules and others do not. He is sane while the rest is
sick. This is not the way Jesus looked at the public sinners during his time. In Jesus’ eyes, the
tax collectors and sinners are persons who need redemption. The Pharisees appeared to be
afraid to associate themselves with the tax collectors and other public sinners because they
already had become self-righteous. Jesus reached out to them. He associated with them and he
related with them in a loving relationship. The only way to bring the lost back to God is to relate
with them in a loving relationship. We relate with them without judging them. Condemn the sins
but not the sinners. Of course, this is always easier said than done. How are we going to relate
with the lost without falling into the trap of self-righteousness? Begin by admitting that we were
also lost at some point and God, who is always righteous, never stops relating with us in a
loving relationship.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2024