“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:27-28).
This was Matthew, the disciple who wrote the first Gospel. It is interesting that Luke used his Jewish name. It expressed a destiny that Matthew had not fulfilled. The Levites were the tribe dedicated to worship. They were born to be Israel’s worship leaders. Matthew belonged to that tribe but had become something far different than a worship leader. He was a tax collector working for the Roman government.
It can be safely said that a tax collector would have been one of the most unpopular people in town. They were not only collaborating with the occupying power, Rome, but they were notoriously dishonest. A statue was erected in Greece to an honest tax collector. That’s how rare they were.
Matthew’s lack of popularity and shady occupation didn’t stop Jesus from choosing him. What we have been and done doesn’t stop Jesus from choosing us, either. He is building His Kingdom with the likes of us—ordinary people with checkered histories. That’s the power of His grace and the extent of His love. As Jesus said, “Whosoever will may come.” That invitation is for all of us.
