URC Daily Devotion for 1-12-2025

St Matthew 9: 9-13

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’  But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’

Reflection

I have just come from a church away day where we were looking at the life of the congregation and what God desires of us. The leader of the event quoted Micah 6: 6-8. It names all sorts of things (including sacrifices) to bring before God before ending with (v8): ‘what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’ Jesus echoes those words in today’s passage.

Jesus calls Matthew to follow him and, as it is told, he got up and followed him. Many would have been appalled at Jesus calling a tax collector to be one of his chosen followers. They were known as collaborators, lining their pockets, not really accepted fully by the Roman authorities nor by the people in Jerusalem either. Even at that time there were clear thoughts on who was ‘in’ and who was ‘out’.

Sadly, not much has changed and, even sadder, it feels to me like the divisions are becoming more marked and more people are being ‘othered’. People are condemned, excluded, and rejected for gender, sexuality, race, skin colour, disability, religion, and even for seeking justice or calling out excluding or harmful behaviour. 

Now more than ever we, as followers of the Jesus way, need to be more like him. To make sure we include those whom sections of society reject. To love our neighbour, without exceptions. This is not easy, but it also means we are called to love those with whom we disagree. This is what Jesus showed us. 

The URC produced a poster that says: ‘Love your neighbour who doesn’t look like you, think like you, love like you, speak like you, pray like you, vote like you. Love your neighbour with no exceptions’.  (You can find the poster here Ed)

This is our challenge. 
And is more and more urgent and necessary each day. 

Prayer

Dear God,
help us as we struggle to love our neighbours; 
those we like and find it easy to love, 
those with whom we clash;
those with whom we disagree; 
those that don’t like, act, or think like us. 
It is not easy yet Jesus calls us to love. 
In this troubled world, 
may we find ways of loving that include and affirm, 
and open dialogue and discussion. 
Help us on our way, Amen.