Daily Devotional

March 22nd 2026

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SUNDAY

Later Jesus and His disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw Him keeping this kind of company and lit into His disciples: “What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the misfits?” Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit.”—Mark 2:15-17 (MSG)

This dinner resulted from Jesus’ call of Levi—whom we know better as Matthew—to become a disciple. Levi was a tax collector in Capernaum. Tax collectors were despised. Tax collectors were infamous for extortion, making their living by taxing people beyond what the law demanded. They were paid no salary—only given the opportunity to steal from those they collected taxes. They gave a portion to the government, but they kept the rest. But Jesus saw something in Levi and called him.

How inspiring it is that Jesus is not dissuaded by our sin. All that matters is that we are willing to leave our lives of discontent behind and embrace the new life of love that He makes available to us.

At the farewell dinner Levi gave for his friends, all the tax collectors of the city were there. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw the scene, and they were aghast that Jesus was socializing with them. They attacked Jesus’ disciples: “What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the misfits?”

Jesus overhears, and His response is quite revealing. “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit.” In His response, Jesus makes a couple of important points:

· Those who think they need no help from God cannot be helped. We meet people often who are “self-sufficient.” The best way to treat them is to smile, be friendly, and let them go their way. Life will reveal to them how wrong they are. Then is the time to talk to them; then they will be listening.

· People are more important than prejudice. Prejudices are preconceived notions formed before we have sufficient knowledge—usually mistaken or distorted ideas we have grown up with. We must learn to look past these differences and meet all according to their readiness of heart.

PRAYER: Lord, we know that You don’t look at our outward appearance, but You consider our hearts. We know that You are not guided by the prejudices that pervade so much of our lives, but that You make the path to real life available to all who pursue it. We would be pursuers of You today. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN!

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