Luke 5:27-32
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Read Luke 5:27-32 paying attention to any details that stand out to you.
If ever there was an indication of Jesus’ ability to look beyond the surface and see a person’s heart, this is that story. Matthew was a Jew working for the occupying Roman government, and tax collectors” were known for not only aiding the oppressors but also for being dishonest.
The religious leaders sum up the general attitude in Israel toward tax collectors when they accuse Jesus of eating with “scum.” But Jesus sees something in Matthew that no one else has bothered to see, and Jesus invites Matthew to become the person he was meant to be.
Take some time to think back over your own journey with Jesus. In what way did Jesus look beneath the surface of your life to invite you to follow him, and how is he forming you into the person you were meant to be? Talk this over with Jesus.
Read Luke 5:27-32 again.
As we noted earlier, the Pharisees were deeply committed to following the law of God down to the detail, but in their fervor for perfect behavior, they had missed the spirit of God’s laws and the essence of God’s character. Their focus on right behavior gave them an easy way to categorize people as either worthy or unworthy.
But the truth is that no one can live a perfect enough life to be worthy of God. It is the love of God expressed through Jesus that offers us a way to be in relationship with a Holy God. Jesus always looks beyond the behavior and the mistakes to see the person deep inside – a person created in God’s image and likeness. Jesus sees who we can be; not who we appear to be.
Recall the Older Testament story of Samuel searching for the next king of Israel after Saul. Though David’s brothers looked more “kingly” to Samuel, God saw differently. Contemplate God’s words from 1 Samuel 16:7 when Samuel thought he had found the right man:
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
For the remainder of your time in meditation today, remember the ways Jesus saw beyond the surface of your life, and consider how you tend to see other people. Spend some time letting Jesus speak to you about this.
What is Jesus saying to you today?
What do you plan to do about it?
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The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
