27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:27-28
Cross references:
While driving to work last week I listened to a radio interview of a young woman dealing with extended unemployment. She had a good education and had been employed in a well-paying, white collar job. While describing her experiences of being unemployed she began to weep, and shared with the interviewer "I can't participate in society. I can't go to the store and buy things because I can't afford them. I can't even be a part of an office Christmas party." She felt excluded because she couldn’t spend like others spend. She had no community because her job, now gone, was her connection. The loss of identity and perceived exclusion were sources of real grief. Normally news is noise to me. For some reason this woman’s grief and the reason for it caught me off guard. It continues to trouble me. This woman was crying for help.
It occurred to me why I am troubled by this woman. In my comfortable life I rarely hear the voices of the hurting, the crying, the weary, or the outcasts. Perhaps unintentionally, but I have separated myself from those who need help. When I hear them crying, see them hurting, and see their needs I am faced with a decision. What do I do? What can I do? Can I really help? It is uncomfortable. When they are out of sight they are out of mind and I don’t have to face that decision.
When he (Jesus) arrived he saw a great crowd waiting. He felt sorry for them and healed those who were sick (Matthew 14:14). "A man with a skin disease came to Jesus. He fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “You can heal me if you will.” Jesus felt sorry for the man, so he reached out his hand and touched him and said, “I will. Be healed!” (Mark 1 40-41). "When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled. He asked, "Where did you bury him?" "Come and see, Lord," they said. Jesus cried" (John 11:33-35).
Jesus was constantly around people with physical and spiritual needs. He saw them, saw their faces, saw their needs, and was moved to serve. We must do the same. We must make the decision of daily leaving our comfortable lives and step into the messy, uncertain, and risky gospel of Jesus. We must avoid the trap of separating ourselves from the lost and hurting in the world we live in and seek them out. As we see and hear their needs allow the Spirit that resides in us to move us to serve as Christ served.
Father, help me leave behind everything I place ahead of You. Lead me down the path that brings You glory including serving and loving people who desperately need You. Place me where you want me to do Your will.
Scotty Elston
Shallowater, Texas
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