Not So Fast

Matthew 18:15-17Jesus said: “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and correct them when you are alone together. If they listen to you, then you’ve won over your brother or sister. But if they won’t listen, take with you one or two others so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. But if they still won’t pay attention, report it to the church. If they won’t pay attention even to the church, treat them as you would a Gentile and tax collector.

Aha!

Jesus’ audience now knew how to deal with those unrepentant people in their midst.

Treat them as a Gentile! Gentiles are unclean and uncalled and meant to be shunned! But wait. How did Jesus treat Gentiles? He healed a foreign leper and nine of his fellows. He gave special recognition to this foreigner for his appreciation when he returned to give thanks to Jesus for healing him. And Jesus healed the servant of the centurion, acknowledging the centurion’s great faith and belief in his authority. And he made the Samaritan an example of mercy when the priest and the Levite passed by on the other side of the road. So Jesus acknowledged Gentiles and foreigners as worthy of his love and compassion.

OK, but what about tax collectors?! They cheated their own people and lined their pockets with the exorbitant taxes that they levied on their neighbors. They were not worthy to be associated with. This is how we should be treating the unrepentant sinner! But wait. Jesus called Matthew from his tax-collecting booth to be a disciple and then went to his house to eat with his tax-collector friends and other sinners. Jesus called down Zacchaeus from the tree and joined him for a meal at his home. And he used the repentant tax collector as a foil for the proud Pharisee when teaching about true prayer.

Jesus showed love and compassion for those who were the lowest of the low, the Gentiles and tax collectors, in the eyes of his audience, and said to treat the unrepentant sinner just the same. In the words of Rachel Held Evans, “Jesus talked theology with women. He hung out with sex workers and tax collectors. He drew crowds made up of the sick and the poor. He criticized religious leaders who try to slam the door to the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces.”

How often do we automatically discard and shun those that we feel are unworthy of our love and care simply because we believe they haven’t properly acknowledged and repented of sins we feel that they have committed? How did Jesus treat the Gentiles and tax collectors, and all the other “less than” people of his time? This must be our example of how we treat others regardless of their perceived shortcomings. Inclusion. Compassion. Healing. Love. That is our example and our charge.

Again, to quote Rachel Held Evans, “…at the end of the day, we’re all in this Kingdom thing together. We’re all loved by God, all in desperate need of grace, all in need of one another. In a sense, we’re all outliers.”

Dear Father, forgive us when we judge and consider others as unworthy of our love. Teach us to forever examine the example of Jesus and model our own behavior towards others after him. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Charlie Barton.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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