Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” vss. 1-2
Luke 15:1-2
The message that Jesus was proclaiming was of particular interest to the broken and the hurting, and when he came to the villages, those folks came out in large numbers to listen to him. He told them stories of a loving and merciful God and that there was a home for them in his peaceable kingdom. He was so different from the religious leaders who regularly labelled them as untouchable and who would have nothing to do with them. It’s easy for the pious to develop that kind of an attitude. Somehow, it’s easier to think well of ourselves if we have someone to look down on, and sadly, we see far too much of this negative energy in the Christian community. We’ve forgotten our origin story, that we are the descendants of the broken tax-collectors and sinners who crowded to hear Jesus’ words of love and acceptance. It wasn’t that Jesus despised the Pharisees and the scribes–but in his mind they were as broken as the so-called sinners they found so repugnant. And as they got to know Jesus, there’s no doubt that some enjoyed eating and drinking with him. He was that kind of guy, and his heart was open to all.
Thought for the Day: Who do I find it easy to look down upon?
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