You Are Welcome!

Delightful, what joy!

You are welcome, yes you!

Me?! With all my faults with all my missteps? Me?! Making the wrong choice for the umpteenth time? Yes you!

You are welcome!

It is wonderful how Jesus calls out Matthew in this episode, "Follow Me.”

Everyone thinks something of that. In Peter you may see something of yourself reflected. You can hear him thinking, Jesus, seriously? This man? Really! Do You have any idea what this guy has done? Do You know him at all? Out of all the people you can choose, you choose him?! I don't understand this!

Jesus then says to Peter, "You didn't understand either when I chose you." "But Master, this is different! I am not like him!" Jesus says to Peter, "Get used to different."

How beautiful it is that Peter speaks out like this. Or..? A lot of people think what Peter dares to say out loud. At the same time, it can be very hurtful when you find that someone clearly doesn't like that you belong. Maybe you feel welcome with Jesus, but not so welcome with His followers. And yet even Peter, with his big mouth, is welcomed by Jesus.

What about you? Is, as far as you are concerned, everyone welcome with Jesus? Or do you set conditions for how someone should be?

Look at Mary, the woman who was possessed and is now free. She just smiles and shows by everything that she loves the fact that Matthew also becomes a disciple of Jesus. Probably because she can relate to Matthew. Mary too was not loved; she too did not belong. She was the "village idiot," remember?

Today's story shows the same thing. Zacchaeus, despised by all, is seen by Jesus. He calls him. "Today I want to eat with you.” I want to be welcome with you. Because you are welcome with me.

Let us be like Jesus, so that people feel welcome. Because everyone is welcome to Jesus, right?

Take the following questions to think about:

• How welcome do you feel to Jesus?
• How surprising was it that Jesus chose you?
• "Get used to different." Are you used to it yet, this up-side-down life with Jesus?
• How can you, like Jesus, be welcoming toward people who are "different" and/or maybe completely wrong so that they know they are always welcome with Jesus?

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you for making me feel welcome with you. Teach me to make others feel welcome too so that they will feel at home and welcome with You. Would You remove all my prejudices and help me to see people with Your eyes. Amen."