17 Jesus heard this and said to them, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. I did not come to invite good people but to invite sinners.”
How ironic! Today, religious people are seen as a sort of an elite, an upper crust. Somewhat superior to those who live hard, and play hard. The hearts of the lower level do not make a pretension to any kind of spirituality. They understand that they are the dregs. They have adapted to living in an ugly and twisted world that gives nothing. There is a sense that they are on ‘the highway to hell.’
The sick, the spiritually debilitated have been brought into a very special place. Jesus intends to escort us into glory, even in spite of our dark and unsightly infection. He is wonderful, and yet we see that He really does specialize in losers. He ‘homes in’ on them and then connects with those who have no ‘religious bearings’ to speak of.
This seems quite counter-intuitive, especially if you’re trying to start a religious movement. It is quite necessary to have a strong base, to seek out good people, and with finances– obviously. And ‘the sick’ have blown it all on sex, drugs and rock & roll. They will never finance the ministry of Jesus. The disciples all have grasped this, especially Judas. They are full of practicality. They approach discipleship as a business. And they are the dangerous ones.
The sick, the defective, and the infirm have now been elevated by Jesus’ new emphasis. They have ‘zero spiritual’ value, with absolutely nothing to contribute — they are more of a liability then anything. People who are very ill really can’t contribute to what is really happening. More often then not, they require intensive care from the healthy and whole, sapping the strength of the work.
But if you are a loser, you have dibs. Jesus shines on you specifically (even if the Church won’t.) There is a kind of a loving triage that He uses as He draws people into His domain and influence. Hearts and lives that are black receive His eager attention. Of course, there will be voices that object to this perceived inequity. But Jesus has no favorites, only intimates. The sinner who has been “forgiven much, loves much.”
Related articles
- Jesus: Friend of Sinners (joequatrone.wordpress.com)
- Go and Learn (brokenbelievers.com)
- Jesus Came To Save Sinners (injesus.wordpress.com)
- Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy (jspiegle.wordpress.com)
I’m catching up after vacation. On vacation, I was with only my sister for six weeks. We met up with another sister and her son for about a week. The divide between the social classes also divides the class on the cusp. The folks in the family who are trying to break away from our ‘family curse’ (or whatever it is that makes us unacceptable) of necessity push away those of us who are more visibly sinful. Really, we are not the worst. None of us are drug addicts or thieves. I can actually include myself in that group because I moved away from our home State, worked at a university, and am proud and gratified that my children graduated from college, even having masters degrees. What I know now is that no amount of education or skill or wittiness can make my ADD characteristics more acceptable. In my depression, I tried to accept the truth in order to be set free. But the truth is something that is not acceptable in polite society. Everybody has done something they don’t want anyone to talk about or draw attention to. Some people have done and still do things that are unpolished, tactless, even rude. Most of the people who do these things still have a little core of love in them that is not accepted and appreciated because of the negative attention their more noticeable attributes attract. I felt so good after being away where I just didn’t hear negative criticism as I do at home every day. Today, I feel as though all my cells have magnets in them that keep me stuck to my bed or my chair. That’s why I am here, reading your blog, looking for some hope of release. I don’t want to be famous or powerful. I just want to be accepted as I am. If your site wasn’t here, I would have nowhere to go. I am so humbly grateful for your being here. I am reminded of the song that says, “I just want to see Jesus.”
The process is almost always intriguing to me. Its a lot of two steps forward, and one step back. Our hearts seem so obdurate and inflexible. But He can claim you as His own, even when you struggle and not claim Him. His patience is powerful.
Loved this. It reverberated within me.
God bless you and I’m thankful to be back and reading here again!
I’m glad you’re back!