City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

¹⁰ Jesus went to Matthew’s house and made himself at home. Many other tax collectors and outcasts of society were invited to eat with Jesus and his disciples.

¹¹ When those known as the Pharisees saw what was happening, they were indignant, and they kept asking Jesus’ disciples, “Why would your Master dine with such lowlifes?” 

¹² When Jesus overheard this, he spoke up and said, “Healthy people don’t need to see a doctor, but the sick will go for treatment.” ¹³ Then he added, “Now you should go and study the meaning of the verse:

I want you to show mercy, not just offer me a sacrifice. 

For I have come to invite the outcasts of society and sinners, not those who think they are already on the right path.”

Matthew 9:10-13 TPT

⁸ “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

–Matthew 5:8 MSG

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

–Proverbs 27:17 NLT

Aisha’s Analysis

The unique and transformative effects Jesus had on people can be attributed to His relational style of inviting desperate people into His fellowship just as they were. Invariably, those who entered His presence did not leave the same way they came to Him. 

This is clearly seen in the lives of Jesus’ twelve apostles. Despite their many differences, Jesus was the one uniting force they all had in common. As different and divided as they may have been, each of them were deliberately chosen by Jesus to do life and ministry with Him. One might wonder: why did Jesus pick them? 

The twelve were constantly bickering over who was the greatest among them. Some of them had explosive tempers as indicated by their nicknames the “Sons of Thunder.” One was a zealot. Another was a tax collector (which was in a completely separate category of sinners in the Jewish community at the time). Another was doubtful. And yet another impetuously made promises he couldn’t keep. 

Throughout their time with Him, we see Jesus’ loving patience and unconditional acceptance of each of His disciples. Not only did He unite them under the banner of the Kingdom of God, He also empowered them to go forth and do powerful things just like Him. Jesus exercised great humility and love as He did life with people who did not understand Him or His ways. 

As Christ followers, we get to enjoy rich fellowship not only with a perfect, holy God, but also with our fellow imperfect, not yet glorified brothers and sisters. No one person has all the answers. Even the One who did, who was perfect in every way, surrounded Himself with a community of people who were passionate about following God. 

How much more then, do we need a community of faith in Christ?

Application

Think of somebody in your life who is very difficult for you to love–somebody who really gets under your skin. Is it possible God has put this person in your life for a reason? 

Try to practice the presence of people by allowing that person to just be. Don’t waste any energy wishing they were different. Enjoy the people God has placed in your life for who they are, and be the first one who is willing to change. Allow God’s love for that person to flow through you as you decide to love that person on purpose! Pray for him or her and think of a way to be a blessing to that person. 

Prayer

Father God, thank You for loving and accepting me exactly the way You created me to be. Thank You that I don’t have to change who I am to be Yours. You transform me into the person You are calling me to be through my relationship with You and others. Help me to soften to Your way of being and doing. Empower me to love those You have placed in my life just as they are. In Jesus’ name, amen.