notorious

Matthew 9 

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. 

“Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 

So Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other notorious sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”

12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Every time I read this passage - every time - I think 2 things:

Am I so full of the Spirit of Jesus that "notorious sinners" want to hang out with me?

Am I so full of the Spirit of Jesus that I WANT to hang out with "notorious sinners"?

Maybe we should all ask ourselves those 2 questions?

And maybe we also should ask ourselves where any of us would be if the people who influenced us to follow Jesus didn't want to hang out with us when we were notorious sinners?