Matthew 9:9 ESV As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed Him.
Matthew was a tax collector. That meant he was an agent of the Roman Government. Most Jews would have considered him a traitor for working for an oppressive, occupying force. Tax collectors were stereotyped as being greedy and corrupt. Many of them gouged the people since they could keep any money they collected over the tax amount owed to the Romans.
We have no evidence that Matthew was dishonest, but this was a position that drew those motivated by money. Men who chose this profession were despised by their countrymen. They likely had few friends outside of their profession. The one payoff to this job was the ability to reap huge profits and live a lavish lifestyle.
When the Jews around Jesus looked at Matthew, they probably felt contempt, disdain, and loathing. They only saw a selfish Quisling. Jesus looked at Matthew and felt love. Jesus knew what Matthew was, but He saw what Matthew could become. Jesus offered to take Matthew as he was, and transform him into the man God wanted him to be.
Matthew also knew who and what he was. He was not satisfied with himself because when Jesus called, he followed without hesitation.
Are you satisfied with who and what you are? I’m not. Yes, I am thankful that I am a child of God, saved by grace, redeemed by the blood of Jesus. I am grateful that I am not the same person I used to be because of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit working in my life.
At the same time, I am not satisfied with where I am now. God is not done working with me yet. I know this because I am not yet perfect. I assume I will never be perfect as long as I live in this corrupted body, but that is still the standard that God calls for (Matthew 5:48), so I will not be satisfied until I reach it.
Jesus looked at Matthew, with all his faults, and saw the man Matthew could become through the power of the Holy Spirit. At one time, God looked at me, a sinful, rebellious druggie, and saw the man He wanted me to become. Today God looks at me, a man farther down the path but not yet having reached the destination, and God still sees the man He is transforming me into.
Thanks be to God that not only does He love us despite our failings but that He also loves us enough to continue working in us and through us. No matter where you are on the path, God is calling you to follow Him. He has a plan, and that plan includes growing you into the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). If we continue to follow without hesitation we will continue to be transformed into the image of Christ.
The biggest thing that hinders that transformation is complacency. When we become satisfied where we are, our growth is stunted, possibly even stopped. If a person is satisfied in their sin, then they never follow God to repentance and stay in their sin. If a Christian is satisfied where they are in their walk with God, then they do not follow His call to continue to grow and eventually become stagnant.
Let’s remain hungry for a deeper relationship with God so that the relationship will continue to grow in intimacy and intensity.
Almighty God, You are a Loving Father who draws Your children ever closer to You. Give me a heart that longs after You. Give me a heart that seeks You out and follows where You lead. I am grateful for where You have brought me but never let me become complacent with where I am.