Pursuing People
by Jeff ~ November 27th, 2009. Filed under: Uncategorized.Since I have been working on a large writing project (which I will share when it’s finished), I have not been blogging much. But I came across the blog here and thought I’d pass this along.
I can’t help but read this and think about Jesus when he encounters Matthew at his tax collector’s booth (Matthew 9:9-13). I doubt Matthew had ever thought that Jesus would want to come, eat and hang out with him. My guess is there are few cultures, if any, that love tax collectors. I’m also guessing that there are a lot of people who don’t feel like “religious people” would be interested in them. So, I imagine Matthew was as shocked and surprised as the religious elite were. When criticized by the religious people for hanging out with the “wrong people” another time, Jesus replied with this story:
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:4-7)
I wonder sometimes if we, as the Church, are pursuing people like Jesus pursues people? To make it more personal…if you’re a follower of Christ, are you pursuing people with the love and compassion that Jesus pursues people?
