Jesus said the wrong things, did the wrong things, healed on the wrong days, spent time with the wrong people, was simply too dangerous to put up with, in the eyes of the Pharisees. 

But in the eyes of the tax collectors, thieves, prostitutes, gentiles, sinners, blind, cripples, sick, desperate, and even the dead, He was Jesus, He was beloved, He was Savior and Lord, He was the only hope and more than wealth and life itself.

Who is He to you?  Who are the “least” of His people to you?  How do you treat Him, through them?

I’m beginning to understand why Jesus spent time with the people He did.  I’m beginning to understand His harshness in the temple and His kindness to the adulteress.  I’m beginning to understand why He called the foolish fisherman and not the studious scribe.

Please, open your eyes to the world and see how silly all the religious games are!  The purpose of the law was not to cause us to compete with each other, judge each other, or even make us thankful that we are “not like them.” 

The whole purpose of the law is love.  The only question is, do you love Him?  Answer it with your life.  Fulfill the law in the Footsteps of Jesus.  Love Him through the “least.”  Be truly Biblical.

Or you may see Him working among the tax collectors, thieves, prostitutes, gentiles, sinners, blind, cripples, sick, desperate, and wonder, why He is saying the wrong things, doing the wrong things, healing on the wrong days, spending time with the wrong people. 

You may question Him and correct Him.  You may not love or follow Him. 

He may ask you, like the rich young ruler, to sell all you have, and you might walk away sad, because of your great riches.  Maybe you will be so (self) righteous that you will call Him evil, His words blasphemous, His ministry works of darkness.  Maybe you will even quote Scripture as you tell Him all this.

He could show up at your church.  Will you know Him if He does?  Will you know Him?

Oh God, change our hearts!  All our religion, all our games, is simply us looking for a “god” we can control, us trying to tame You, us thinking we can add to Your Sacrifice, Your Life, Your Way of Love.  Let us not continue blindly and remove our stubborn hands from covering our eyes.  As you changed Paul, I know You can change each one of us, remove from us that which is not Your Love, that which persecutes You.  Change our hearts, we pray, until we love You, love the prophets, love the “least,” love the Truth, embrace Your Way, with all the Love you seek to pour through us, and all the boldness You gave to those spoken of in Acts.

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