A Despised Outcast

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting in the tax collector's office; and He said to him, "Follow Me. and he got up and followed Him." (Matthew 9:9)

Matthew didn't really fit in anywhere. As a Jewish tax collector working for the Romans, he would have been viewed as a traitor to other Jews for forsaking his people to serve their enemy He would, however have been wealthy. He had a solid career that, even if others hated him for it, would have supported a lavish lifestyle.

Still, when Jesus saw Matthew and invited him to follow Him, the tax commissioner immediately got up. Despite having riches, he did not hesitate to go where Jesus went, even if it meant traveling with people who would have been his enemies. 

Matthew was considered a sinner by the Pharisees, and to be seen with Him would have been a mistake. Yet Jesus didn't seem to mind that Matthew had betrayed his own people before He called him. He wasn't concerned with Matthew's past choices; the only choice that mattered was his willingness to leave his life behind and accept Jesus's invitation to a new one.

Matthew ended up writing the first gospel. He had a keen sense of awareness, and God enabled him to use his unique ability for his glory, as record keeper of the life and miracles of Jesus. No matter what you have done in the past, how others may look at you or what choices you have made, when you accept the call to follow Jesus, you can have new life and find a new purpose for the gifts God has given you. 

Questions to Ponder

• Have you ever known someone who didn't fit in anywhere?

• Do you believe that when a person accepts the call to follow Jesus, that person can have new life and find a new purpose for the gifts God has given them?

• Has Jesus accepted you and given you new purpose?

In His Service,
Terry Phillips