Lent: Journey According To LukeSample

MEET MY BEST NEW FRIEND! DEVOTION Given an option, many of us would not enjoy being with ‘questionable’ characters or sinners, let alone dine or fellowship with them. Would such association taint our reputation? What good would it do? Such people are set in their ways. They won’t listen to me anyway! We tend not only to shun ‘obvious’ sinners, but also those who do not share our core values and convictions, or are not ‘religiously correct’. When I was little, I learned this Chinese proverb: 近朱者赤，近墨者黑 – if you draw near the light, you become light; if you draw near the dark, you become dark, i.e. stay away from the bad guys. But here we see Jesus asking a questionable character to follow him. In turn, Levi invites a whole gang of despicable tax collectors and sinners to meet his new best friend. What a great uproar this caused among the pious Pharisees! Jesus saw beyond the crusty exteriors of Levi and his like. He perceived a glimmer in them that wanted to break free from darkness but did not know how. Carrying overflowing forgiveness, abundant grace and mercy, the Light of the World sought out the woman at the well -- a notorious woman, perhaps like today’s Heidi Fleiss? Jesus called Zacchaeus to descend from the tree. Was he in some ways like today’s Bernard Madoff, the all-time scammer? Were we not all once called out of darkness into the light? FOR REFLECTION • What are the ways you can reveal the light of Christ in your work, home, with friends? • How can we discern when and how to confront darkness in others? When we do, how do we ensure that we love enough to do so effectively and strong enough not to be pushed backed ourselves? PRAYER Dear Jesus, thank you for calling me out of darkness into your incredible light. I confess some darkness still lingers in me. Forgive me. I have often succumbed to passivity and not stood up for you before mockers and slanderers. Keep me strong so that your light in me will overcome the darkness in them. Help me draw near to you, so that more and more of your light will flood my being. Open my eyes to see those around me who are yearning to come into your light. Amen.