[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]
Jesus calls yet another unlikely candidate to follow him as a disciple! While walking along he calls Levi (also called Matthew, and a Jew) who is doing his work as a tax collector. Jewish tax collectors were hated by their fellow (self-respecting) Jews because they were thought of as betrayers, doing a despised job for the enemy – the Romans. Matthew obeys, leaves his job, and begins his new life as a Jesus-follower by throwing a party with other (hated) tax collectors and Jewish law breakers as invitees, and Jesus as the chief guest. When the respected religious folks found fault with Jesus’ associations, Jesus made clear his intention – his coming to earth as a human was to identify with all those lonely, excluded, despised, overlooked, broken, “needy” folk. Who do you think you are? Someone who is satisfied with their religion? Or someone who is “needy”?
