I got a new app on my phone called “Quiet Time” which offers its users a way to experience daily worship in a way that works for them. Shameless plug, if you want to be consistent about your worship and reflecting on Gods word, get this app. Recently, I did a session on Luke 5:27-32 which says,
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. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
What I found most striking in the devotion that followed this passage was the idea that Jesus assembled one of the most important teams ever and picked these people knowing their flaws, shortcomings, and what societal baggage they brought with them. Matthew (also known as Levi) was hated by the Jewish people when Jesus said “follow me”, yet he is uniquely positioned to write a gospel that could focus on the Jewish reader. Certainly, Matthew is not the first one God had equipped and called who, to everyone else, was the last choice. In fact, we see it all throughout the Old Testament and still to this day.
I don’t know about you all, but I find it easy to catalog my faults and often ask God, “what in the world were you thinking calling me?” Perhaps, you feel that God wouldn’t pick you but my friends, the good news is he chose Matthew who was the most unexpected choice and used him for great things!
So, I find comfort in this passage and now I ask a different question instead; “God, how am I uniquely positioned to share the good news?” Much like Matthew, God picked me fully knowing my shortcomings and flaws. In the same way, I am in a place to specifically minister. Whether it be to the community of my second job, to the rock-climbing community, to youth, or to young adults, God has made me, equipped me and called me to share his glorious truth and love!
I hope you read this and find the same comfort I did! You see this passage applies to every child of God the same way, you are uniquely positioned to share the Gospel and God chose you to be in that space knowing full well the depths of your sin. He has chosen us because he doesn’t send us alone to preach a message of our own making. Instead, he sends us in His name to preach His message and in that he uses our flaws for good! If you aren’t already, my challenge to you is to take a moment and ask yourself where has God uniquely placed me? Then go and share in the glorious name of Jesus!
