Friends, Food and Pharisees

Think of the last time you had dinner with friends. You probably enjoyed good conversation, good laughs and hopefully good food. So too Jesus found Himself dining with some friends one evening. I envision Him sitting back, sipping on wine, soaking in the laughter from jokes exchanged. That is, until the scribes showed up.

According to them Jesus made a poor choice in dinner companions. Shocked they ask His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners” (Mark 2:16)? Consumed with self-righteousness, they couldn’t understand why Jesus ate with these people. Why would He associate with such lowly-men, such dirty people? Why not keep Himself clean?

Jesus overhears their question, and answers “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). I can’t help but wonder what His dinner guests thought as He said this, especially His disciples.

Were they surprised that Jesus called them sinners? Confused that He said they were in fact not righteous? Offended He thought of them as ill patients in need of a doctor? Hadn’t He called them because He had seen potential in them?

Perhaps Simon thought Jesus chose him because of his fisherman qualities. Jesus said He would make him into a fisherman of people (Mark 1:17). Maybe he thought his skills transferred over to the bigger fish of humans and Jesus chose him for these abilities.

I don’t know what Simon felt, but I know I would have lifted a confused eyebrow. Maybe that’s because I want to think Jesus chose me because of something unique in me, something good.

Listening in on this dinner-table conversation has humbled my heart. I’m reminded that there is nothing in me that makes God want me. He chose me because I’m sick, because I’m in need, because my heart is weak, dark and twisted. He came to me, to all of us, because of one reason— His love. Paul says it this way, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

We cannot heal ourselves. We’re too broken, too marred, too full of sin. Our hearts are void of righteousness. We need the scarred hands of a Physician who can cleanse and mend what no other doctor can. He calls us to Himself and heals our mortal wound, wipes away the effects of the disease and restores our life to Him.

With humble hearts, weak and needy, let us find ourselves feasting at His table. He invites us to dine on His healing love free of charge (Is 55:1), His grace curing our hearts.