Read Luke 5:27-28
Get Up! Leave Everything! And Follow Jesus!
As Jesus went out, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax booth. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Levi got up, left everything and followed Jesus.
Who is Levi? He was a tax collector for the Romans, the enemies of the Jews. He was looked down upon by the Jews. His reputation and lifestyle was hated. They saw him as a traitor but the Romans took good care of their tax collectors. They had the reputation of being cheaters and collecting more than they were supposed to for personal gain.
So why did Jesus pick Levi to be his disciple if he was such an “evil” person? I’d say because he saw the potential of Levi to be a great follower of Christ. From that time on Levi is called Matthew, probably a name given to him by Jesus like he gave Simon a new name. Matthew is a Greek word meaning “Gift of God.” Jesus was able to look past the sin and see a person he created with value and purpose. He’s able to look past the sin and see the potential of greatness.
So why did Levi say YES if he was enjoying a life of luxury? I can only speculate, but I’d say because:
1. He wasn’t happy. Living a rich and famous life is not fulfilling. It will bring a lot of happiness but it never fills that empty spot our soul longs for. Only Christ can fill it.
2. Perhaps Levi saw many of Jesus’s miracles and heard several of his teachings. Perhaps he was captivated by Jesus and saw something that he knew he wanted. So Levi immediately got up from that tax table, left all of that behind, and then followed Jesus.
What a great testimony. I pray we would emulate the heart of Levi.
Are you happy? Is what you are doing fulfilling? Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart and wanting to offer you so much more. Your past sins are not an obstacle because Jesus can forgive your sins, make you a brand new person, and give you a brand new name. Jesus wants to give you a new reputation and a new legacy that points people to Jesus rather than to the world.
Are you willing to leave everything in order to fully follow Jesus? Or are there things of this world you can’t let go of? Let it Go as Levi did and then follow Jesus. Following Jesus is more than a belief system. It’s a relationship. It’s a brand new lifestyle seen by the world.
