Attracting Jesus

‘Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Matt.9:13

‘Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do’ Matt.9:10-12. People are quick to point accusing fingers at people in church when they see them step out of line. But guess what, it is because there are a lot of sick people in the church. They may come in sick and act out strangely for a while but they never remain sick. So some people think they are righteous and some people know they are sinners, who will attract Jesus? The people that know they are sinners. I have encountered several people who when they come to church for the first time, their dressing is nowhere near godly. There was a particular lady that on her first visit her skirt was nowhere near her knees. Apparently, there was something in the sermon that day that addressed her particular situation and she told the person who invited her that she was never coming back. But she kept coming back and guess what? Her skirt began to grow longer and longer and by the time God was done with her she became a minister in the church. The key thing here is some people would have driven her away at first sight but Jesus does not drive the sick away. But when people come to church and don’t change then there is something wrong with that. How do you expect an unbeliever to dress? The sad thing is that everywhere else people are rejected; it is not right for them to also be rejected in the house of God. So leave people to come the way they are and trust God to do a work in them. The problem is not their way of dressing or the habits that they exhibit, what they need is Jesus. Until they find the person of Jesus you cannot really expect to see any real change in their lives. There can be no real lasting change outside Jesus.

Prayer: Father, may I not forget where You brought me from. Help me to maintain an enabling environment around me for people to meet with You, in Jesus Name.