You Want Me Jesus? REALLY?

 Matthew 9: 9 (New King James Version, NKJV).

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

Maybe he thought, “I have had enough,” one day as he made his way through the streets to his tax office. “My own brothers detest me, the government uses me, and it is getting harder to make a living by having to set my own wages.” He never realized what a bad job it would turn out to be when he took it. The Roman Chief Tax Collector had offered several men the opportunity to collect taxes for him by bidding out his job to them. Matthew won the bidding and ended up getting the job. Since there were no clear documents available to the people in order to know exactly how much tax they had to pay, he had the opportunity to set the price at what he wanted. He knew how much his boss wanted so everything above that was his to keep. Crook, extortioner, thief, and traitor, were all terms used to describe him. It was a lonely life being an IRS agent. Even when he tried to be fair people thought he was still gouging them. If only he had an opportunity to do something else. Being a publican was a black mark on anyone’s résumé so getting another job would be almost impossible so there were not many options.

Sitting there in his office expecting another day of arguing and bashing he saw Jesus coming toward him. He had heard some things about Jesus but did not know a lot about Him. Jesus came to his office and motioned to him and said, “Come. Follow me.” How could He have known? How could Jesus have possibly known how much he hated his job and was sick of his life? Regardless of how He knew it was now decision time. Without hesitation he got up from behind his desk and went with Jesus. He had come at just the right time. Matthew notified all his coworkers and what few friends he had and invited them to his retirement party. His new Boss and fellow disciples would be his guests. Jesus had rescued him and he was grateful and wanted all to know he was going back to school!

Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose people like Matthew to be a disciple and then ordain as an apostle? Why would He not choose those who knew about God like the other teachers or Rabbis? Jesus always knew who to go to. He went to folk as much as they came to Him. He always knew who it was that really needed help. He still knows who to go to. I did not find Jesus; He came to me. He came to me at just the right time and He will come to you too; just watch for Him.