Day 7: May 11Scripture: Luke 5:27-31 I remember reading this Bible story when I was a youth. I had purchased my first pair of teenage blue jeans which bore the same name as the tax collector. They were the latest. I could wear my jeans to youth group but not to worship. The exception was Youth Sunday. We wore our jeans and black-light-ready t-shirts. We sang songs of a Superstar named Jesus Christ. If the church leaders winced, it did not show on their faces. They smiled with pride. When we danced the Lord’s Prayer down the center aisle of the sanctuary, they called it “memorable.” Some even said “meaningful.” Levis were still being welcomed as followers of Jesus. We showed the congregation our gratitude, not by throwing a great banquet but by painting the library. The eye-popping fluorescent green paint we picked all by ourselves was said by Trustees to “brighten the room.” Surely there were critics. There are always critics. No doubt there were some who said, “Why do you let those youth paint the library and take over the worship service and sing ‘Pass It On’ without ceasing on poorly tuned guitars?” But I never heard the criticism. I imagine that is because someone said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. It is not folks who look like us, act like us, dress like us, and worship like us who need to be extravagantly and unconditionally welcomed here. It is the Levis . . . and the young people who wear them.” I think the person who said that must have been Christ in our midst. Decades later the Church has a new generation of Levis to welcome. Their jeans are cut differently than ours were. Their piercings and politics and passion for causes look different that the previous generations’. They feast at cyber-banquets. They are passionately inclusive and say so with phrases ranging from “Whatever” to “It’s all good.” They are sinners and saints likely to give their lives for something. They will change the world and, by God’s grace, they will change the church. Jesus bids them, “Follow me.” What is your church saying about the latest Levis? Prayer: God of grace who invited Levi, thank you for inviting even me to follow You. Guide my steps and guard my words today so that anyone who might choose to follow my example or direction might find themselves following in the Way of Jesus. Amen. Rhonda VanDyke Colby |