Inspired by Matthew 9:2-13
“And as [Jesus] sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’” Matthew 9:10-12
Who do you spend your time with? Do you try to surround yourself only with those who believe as you do? It is good to remain in community with other believers, so that you might encourage one another and build one another up in the faith.
However we are not called to form exclusive clubs with strict membership requirements. Jesus did not demand people to change their lives or confess statements of faith before he dined with them or associated with them. It didn’t matter who you were—a disciple, a tax collector, a Pharisee, a prostitute—Jesus was pleased to have you with him and treated you with dignity and respect. You didn’t even have to come to him first, showing an interest in him or a desire to change your ways; this dinner party began with Jesus walking along and seeing Matthew the tax collector sitting in his tax booth, minding his own (likely exploitative) business. With no sign of interest from Matthew at all, Jesus approached him and called him to follow. No conditions that he must fulfill first, no threats of what would happen to his soul if he didn’t; just the invitation, “Follow me.” And Matthew followed, and was invited to dinner.
It is likely that Matthew’s conversion from greedy tax collector to gospel writer happened only after he was treated with dignity and respect by Jesus. It is equally likely that had he been told he needed to repent and completely change his life before he’d be treated with that dignity and respect, he probably would never have left his tax booth, and the Gospel According to Matthew would never have been written.
We are to take strength and encouragement from other believers, but we are also called to go out into the world and treat everyone, even the worst sinners we can imagine, with dignity and respect, no strings attached. Threats or conditions do not inspire conversion, but the experience of grace.
Let us pray. God of kindness, you created every human being in your image. Teach us to show all your children the dignity and respect they deserve, that all may experience your love and grace. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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