Mark 2:13-17

¹³Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd kept coming to him, and he kept teaching them.¹⁴As he was walking along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax collector's desk. Jesus told him, "Follow me!" So Levi got up and followed him. ¹⁵Later he was having dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and sinners were also eating with Jesus and his disciples, because there were many who were following him. ¹⁶ When the scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" ¹⁷ When Jesus heard that, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a physician, but sick ones do. I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners." 

Follow Me

Levi was a tax collector, doing the bidding of his Roman masters and placing a real financial burden on his fellow Jews. Hence, he was seen as a traitor to the Jewish nation. Yet our Saviour called Levi to follow him. A divine, loving touch can transform even the least qualified candidate into a faithful, diligent and loving servant of the Lord. Levi (or Matthew as he was known), through God’s inspiration wrote one of the Gospels.

For Levi to leave his lucrative and secure job, not only indicates Jesus’ divine and transforming touch but also hints at the emptiness in Levi’s heart. Undoubtedly, he would have been a rich man, at least relative to most of his Jewish brethren. But despite his wealth and job security, there was a void in his heart that only our Saviour could fill. Levi, to his credit, when called by the Lord, realised the far more important and greater “treasure” and immediately left everything to pursue it.

Later, Jesus had dinner at Levi’s house. Levi, filled with the spirit and joy of the Lord, wanted to honour him with a meal and celebrate with his friends. His friends would have seen and sensed the joy and transformation in him. Our Saviour may also have touched the lives of some of those present by his grace and healing influence. Meanwhile, the “righteous” Pharisees criticized Jesus on account of the “unsavoury” guests.

Only God can see our hearts and minds and can truly judge us. After all who is more righteous – the Pharisee who diligently follows his rules and religion but rejects Christ or the tax collector who has sinned, but repents and follows Christ? Little did the Pharisees, in their self-righteousness, realize their true unhealthy spiritual state and need for healing.

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23,24

Until we realize this, turn to him and repent, we too cannot be healed. We have all been called by our Saviour to follow him. Are we heeding the call?

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to faithfully follow you.