As chapter fifteen begins, Luke confronts one of the most significant issues the Pharisees had with Jesus...he associated with the wrong kind of people. "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'." On more than one occasion, Jesus found himself at odds with the temple leadership because they and he had very different values. The Pharisees were focused on the law and Jesus on the need of the human heart.
Whether it was allowing his disciples to glean grain from the fields on the Sabbath, making himself available to be touched by sick and sinful people, or healing unclean persons on the Sabbath, Jesus intentionally moved to change lives, regardless of other's expectations. He spoke of himself as the Light of the world who came to bring light and life...abundant life to all who would receive. His willingness to accept others as they were and to welcome them into his life sets the standard for how we are to relate to the world around us.
I wonder, however, if that is a standard we are willing to adopt. Jesus suffered little from our twenty-first century distraction with what others think. He was more concerned with what God had called him to be. In thinking about who we associate with, do the choices we make reflect the values of Jesus or the values of the Pharisees? Do we see others with the eyes of Christ where they are loved simply for who they are, or are we more restrictive in the way we view others?
Jesus did welcome sinners...to be more direct friends, he welcomed you and me. To be like Christ may cause some to wonder about the people we associate with. If that is the case, we will be true reflections of Christ when we are more concerned about their need for Christ than what anyone else might think of us.
Jim Abernathy
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