Following Jesus

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Luke 5:27-32

I can only imagine the questions and feelings that rose up in Levi when the Lord asked him to leave his job, family, possessions, money,  the name he had built for himself in the community, But he did not let any of this stay his had, but just got up and first threw a party for Jesus. The party was attended not just by the apostles, but by the Pharisees, their scribes, tax collectors, and sinners. Jesus soon comes under great scrutiny for dining with those considered to be such sinners, so ‘unclean’.

`One point that stuck out to me, was that he first left everything behind, THEN threw this party for Jesus – having left behid everything – what did he have left to thow a party? He really gave his all, and did not seem afraid to follow Jesus, when following Him meant having nothing. 

            Ask yourself – if following Jesus means giving up your posessions of this world for the next..are you willing? We are the sick and He is calling. Will you follow his call>