As I have crafted and written this book it has been a challenge and a joy to write. Looking at the life of someone as world renowned as Jesus is humbling and empowering at the same time. Seeing the situations He faced and then observing how He chose to work with people was enlightening.
I am thrilled to say the release date is February1, 2021.
I will be offering some 'leadership development bundles' in the next few Blogs. Feel free to contact me at the email below.
In the meantime, here is an excerpt to enjoy.
From Part 4, Risk Management; Chapter 15: Dinner With Scum.
"Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming
to him. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s
booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and
followed him.
Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along
with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people
of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who
were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his
disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”
When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—
sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those
who know they are sinners.”
(Mark 2:13–17)15
"JESUS HAD JUST finished teaching by the lakeshore again and as He
walked along, He saw Matthew at his tax collection booth. Matthew
scowled as he counted his collection for the day. Would there ever be
enough? Tomorrow he would up his prices.
Jesus passed nonchalantly, turned to Matthew, raised His hand in
the air, and said, “Follow me and be my disciple” (Mark 2:14). It was
a clear and simple invitation. No fanfare, no convincing, no arguing.
Matthew simply got up and followed Jesus.
Just as casually and calmly, with a shrug of his shoulders, Matthew
invited Jesus and His disciples to a banquet at his place. The dinner
guests were other tax collectors and several notorious sinners.
Some Pharisees also followed as Jesus and His disciples headed
towards Matthew’s place. They questioned, “Why does he eat with such
scum?” (Mark 2:16). The Pharisees’ view of people didn’t reflect the way
Jesus saw those who needed Him. When Jesus heard that question, His
response was that He hadn’t come for the healthy; He’d come for the
sinners, not those who thought they were already good enough.
The phrase “good enough” intrigues me. What does it mean to
consider myself good enough and why would it include the sick and
sinners?
Many times as I sat in board meetings, controversial topics were
put on the table. I’d sense some kind of clarity around the topic in my
mind and then think, Who do you think you are to put that thought on
the table? You simply aren’t good enough. I came to understand that when
the focus of a thought becomes all about me rather than about the issue
at hand, determining whether it’s “good enough” becomes a matter of
pride. In other words, Jesus once again was hitting at the Pharisees’
prideful ways.
In Matthew’s account of this story, Jesus challenged the Pharisees
to figure this out. He wanted them to show mercy rather than demand
sacrifices. He reiterated that He hadn’t come to call the ones who already
thought they were righteous, but rather those who knew they were
sinners.
Jesus didn’t call Matthew to the church. He called Him to a personal
relationship with Himself, and that relationship shook and transformed
Matthew’s life and those he lived and worked with.
Growing up in a small town, my parents were well known for their
hospitality. It spilled from their hearts, through our home and out into
the streets. I remember one Sunday in particular. After the final “Amen”
had been said at church, everyone gathered their belonging. The sounds
of chatter began to rise.
Dad was ushering that day and had moved to the back of the
sanctuary to make sure everyone had what they needed as they left. I
always kept track of where he was, since he had handled some interesting
situations at times.
I saw him stop and lean into the last pew. I couldn’t see anyone
there, yet as I got closer to Dad I noticed a rather foul odour. I pressed
into him and he motioned for me to go out to the foyer. That’s where
I found Mom, who asked where Dad was. I pointed around into the
sanctuary and she slipped over in that direction.
Mom and Dad spoke to each other for a little while, and then Mom
came over and indicated that she and I would head home.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked, bouncing up and down. “Aren’t we waiting
for him?”
She just took my hand and said that he had someone to look after.
Later that night as I was all snuggled up in bed, Mom and Dad
came in to say goodnight and pray. That’s when Dad explained that he
had brought someone home who didn’t have a home and needed some
food and a bed for the night. He explained that this new friend of his
would be late for breakfast and needed to get to the bus depot in the
morning for a ride back to Calgary.
Half-asleep already, I reached up to give Dad a kiss. “See you in the
morning,” I said before turning over and diving deep under the cozy
covers.
Over the years, I heard this story and many similar ones about the
times my parents reached out to meet the needs of those less fortunate.
In this case, the man needed food, a bed, and a ticket to get back to his
family.
At times in our lives, my husband Brian and I have done the same
thing, and later we watched our adult children do it too. I wasn’t taught
to gauge how we’d be taken out of our comfort zones for reaching out
and helping others. I simply saw it lived out. I also read stories like this
one in the Bible and came to understand that this is what it means to
love Jesus and love others as myself.
It’s not without risk, but it’s also not without wisdom and love.
See also Matthew 9:9–13 and Luke 5:27–32.
KALEIDOSCOPE REFLECTIONS
1. Generally speaking, how would you describe the guests you most
commonly have in your home?
2. When was the last time you had someone over who was outside your
comfort zone, someone who perhaps believed differently or appeared
to be lesser-than?
3. How do Matthew’s actions align with the concept of loving your
neighbour as yourself?
4. What are some risks of exercising hospitality in today’s culture?
5. Brainstorm some ways in which you can express hospitality to those
who aren’t normally in your circle of influence.
6. Why do you think Jesus put those who think they’re already good
enough in the same category as the sick and the sinners?
7. Have you ever felt like you were “good enough”? Did this cause you
to be a better servant or a lesser servant? How did it change the way
you behave or think?
What a challenge as we enter a season of hospitality - Christmas. May your hearts and homes be filled with grace and goodness this Christmas Season.
For further information:
Ruth@InspiredtoLead.ca
WWW.RuthEsau.ca
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