Sunday Thought 93

Would you quit a lucrative job to join a fledgling nonprofit organization? In Mark chapter 2:14-17 we read the story of Levi (also called Matthew). Levi is sitting in his tax booth doing his job. In those days being a tax collector meant two things: you were despised, and you were relatively wealthy. You see, you were to collect a certain amount for Rome, and anything above that was your pay – and it could be quite lucrative. And just like today, but only more so, you were hated.

So here is Levi doing his job, and Jesus passes by and says to him “Follow Me!”. And he drops everything and follows! That is so amazing to me. He gave up his career, his wealth, to join a ragtag group of men, with no means of regular income. But in giving up financial security, he gained so much more. He gained a family, a calling / mission, and he went from gouging people financially to helping people spiritually. I believed he gained much more than he lost. But it meant taking a risk.

What about us? Are we willing to take a risk for something more important than money?