One More - Monday
TODAY’S VERSE
Luke 15:1-2
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (ESV)
When I was in college, I spent a significant amount of time studying the art and science of human behavior. Today, some of my favorite social experiments occur at the airport, the mall, and the beach. You never know what you might hear or see on any given day.
If I trace the roots of my fascination back to its origin, it began at the mecca of human behavior: the cafeteria table. Outside of recess, lunch period was the pinnacle of all “beefs,” breakups, drama, gossip, jokes, pettiness, puppy love, and everything in between, all within one 30-minute time block. Each week, the same question hung in the balance: Who was going to sit where?
In a feeble attempt to bridge the 2,000-year cultural gap, it’s this backdrop that I want us to have in mind with our primary audience for this week, the Pharisees and the scribes. We could almost think of them as the original Mean Girls (“You can’t sit with us!”). While no one was deemed worthy enough to sit with them, Jesus was willing to sit with anyone.
As the self-proclaimed spiritually elite, the Pharisees and the scribes were often on the outside looking in at Jesus’ interactions with the people they would have considered outcasts. This includes tax collectors, sinners, and women. They also weren’t shy about letting others know how appalled they were at Jesus and His disciples (Luke 5:29-32, Luke 19:5-7).
This brings up an important distinction: Even though Jesus was embracing sinners, He wasn’t endorsing their sin. Unfortunately, self-righteousness had blinded the Pharisees and the scribes from clearly seeing His heart for His people. During one exchange in John’s gospel account, Jesus even calls out their blind spot (John 5:39-40).
What’s Jesus getting at? There’s a difference between knowing about God and knowing God. There’s a difference between knowing God’s Word and demonstrating God’s heart. In other words, our love for God’s Word should spur our love for God’s people. The Pharisees and the scribes aren’t picking up what Jesus is putting down, so He’s going to pull one of His most reliable teaching tools: the parable.
APPLICATION
Each of us spends time around tables throughout the week—cafeteria tables, conference tables, coffee tables, and the list goes on. Offer a seat to someone who’s on the outside looking in.
PRAYER
Father, when I’m tempted to think more highly of myself than I should, please remind me of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 1: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. Amen.