Matthew 9:10-13

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Matthew 9:10-13

Dear Jesus,

You did life with everyone. You did not discriminate.  Love does that.  It reaches out to all.  I know why you did that too.  You came to find the lost, confront them, forgive them and bring them into your fold.  I want to live the same way.  I'm on mission with you.  Help me to live with the "sick" and challenge the scruples of the comfortably religious people around me.  Help me to live in the soup with people and to find ways to present to them your redeeming grace in conversations that engage and enlighten them.  I'm also open to learning from too.  Even lost people you let me meet can teach me things.  So, help me to ever become cliquish again. 

Amen

Pastor Don Patterson

Everyone has a soul that needs redeeming and an experience that will bless others under God's providence. 

Additional Reading: Acts 17