Friday, December 30, 2011

Not the healthy but the sick

   
     Luke 5:27-32 is about the calling of Levi to be Jesus' disciple.  Jesus called him and Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.  He then held a banquet at his house for Jesus where more tax collectors and others joined them.  Jesus was questioned, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"  I love his reply!  "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."  If he had hung out with only the 'good' then we would all be lost and his mission here on earth would have been useless.
                                             
                                                             He came to save the wretch.

     When Jesus died on the cross he commanded us to go into all nations and preach the good news.  We are to tell ALL others about Christ so that they can be saved.
     In India they have something called the caste system.  People are divided into groups.  You are in one of four groups and considered anywhere from being an untouchable to being very highly esteemed.  The guidelines for which group a person is classified in is determined by the family they were born into and the area they were born in - man made rules of discrimination.
     As Christians we aren't supposed to put up walls or dividers between us and other people because they aren't ideal to be around or to share with.  How often do we do this though?

    *The woman laying by the dumpster clothed in rags with a cardboard box as her blanket - her house.
    *The man sitting by himself in the restaurant with deformities claiming his face and hands.      
    *The person needing assistance at the store but whose bodily odor keeps others from coming near.
    *The boy who stutters so badly that he can't be understood.
    *The quiet girl whose hair hasn't seen a comb and whose clothes are adorned by holes and were too small for her six months ago.
    *The man whose reputation has him pegged as 'strange', but no one really knows why... they just go along with it.  


     In Matthew Jesus says, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."  Jesus' words are convicting.  I'm sure I have missed out on plenty of opportunities to share my life with others... chances to share about my Father in Heaven - about the one who loves and adores them and deems them fearfully and wonderfully made.
      "Lord help me to view your creation through your eyes.  They are beautiful.  Each and every one is fearfully and wonderfully made.  Give me a desire to reach out to the people you place in front of me.  Thank you for being a beautiful Savior full of grace and love.  Make me more like you I pray."

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