Listen

As Jesus continued on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at a kiosk for collecting taxes. He said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. As Jesus sat down to eat in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and his disciples at the table.

But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Matthew 9:9-11

Think

Jesus and Matthew were both brave for saying yes to sharing this meal. Tax collectors had a reputation of taking more than their fair share, so Matthew definitely wouldn’t have been the most popular guy in town. When Jesus asked Matthew to follow him, he was asking Matthew to leave everything he knew. And even though Matthew probably did collect taxes unfairly sometimes, it was a big ask. But he said yes.

Jesus was gaining a reputation of his own, for getting close to people that others thought should be excluded. Some people in power weren’t too happy about it, and it would have been easier on Jesus if he had said no to eating with the tax collectors. But he said yes.

Matthew acknowledged he had things to learn and Jesus made room for him. Both people got out of their comfort zones to help create a place where everyone, mistakes and all, was welcome. When we make room at the table for everyone, we are all better for it.

Allison Wehrung

Pray

Lord, whether it’s in big ways or small, guide me to help make room at the table for everyone, even when it means stepping out of my own comfort zone.

Lead me in your way of love, so that this love can be a source of healing in our world.

Amen.

Go

We come to you, O loving Lord,
in our distress and pain,
in trust that through our nights and days,
your grace will heal, sustain.

Herman G. Stuempfle Jr. in “We Come to You for Healing, Lord” (2013)