At times I have a very hard time eliminating the mindset of earning a better status with God. I slide into my old way of thinking that I’ve got to do more and be more to be acceptable to His standards. I’ve got to prove my worthiness. As a consequence I also slide into an entitlement perspective, thinking I deserve more or better, while looking down on my dispersive view of another person. May God help me rest in His relationship with me. To no credit of mine, He calls me His beloved child. Levi’s view of himself changed as he hung out with Jesus.
“These men were His work. His ministry touched thousands, but He trained twelve men. He gave His life on the cross for millions, but during the three and a half years of His ministry He gave His life uniquely to twelve men.
Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making
“What Jesus did violated the accepted social norms of the religious community. It treated the outcast like a respected member of the covenant community rather than as a sinner who failed to live by the law. It undermined the condemnation and shunning that were used to punish the “sinners” in an effort to pressure them to change.
What Jesus did struck at the heart of the merit-based culture of the scribes and Pharisees. It was a threat to the identity they had created by conforming to the scribal interpretations of the law—an identity tied to being better than tax collectors and sinners. It was a threat to their position and prestige, their standing and respect in the eyes of others.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford
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