Tax collectors were despised in Jesus' day. Part of the reason they were despised is that the tax collectors acted on behalf of the Roman Empire, they were collaborating with the oppressing government. A second reason is the tax collector is the one who told the citizens how much their taxes were. Citizens didn't get a bill from the government, like we do, they got the word from the tax collector. That always raised questions of how much went to the government and how much went to the tax collector. Needless to say, tax collectors were not invited to many dinner parties.
The place of tax collectors in the culture makes it astounding that Jesus invited Levi to be his disciple. Levi's calling is a clear indicator of who Jesus wants to follow him. He wants everyone, even the people that we think are the worst in town.
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Wouldn't it be amazing to see things through God's eyes rather than our own? I wonder how we would see the world around us? Jesus was surely seeing the good in Levi. I pray for the ability to see the good in others and in the world so that I might better do the will of my Lord.
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