Runaways

And he got up, left everything, and followed him. (Luke 5:28)

Matthew was a tax collector, an outcast in Judean society. Tax collectors were seen as renegades for serving the Romans, a petty tyrant with power to examine goods, and an extortionist for somewhat arbitrarily setting the taxes. A tax collector bid on the right to assess taxes and got to keep whatever he collected above the agreed-upon tax.

Jesus’ call to Matthew (also called Levi) was straightforward: “Follow me.” Matthew could not walk any fences on this one. Don’t focus so much on the immediacy of his decision as the results: he got up from his tax booth (think of it more like a toll booth on a busy market road), making himself noticeable to all. He left everything, presumably including the money at his booth and certainly the future potential for profit. He followed Jesus. This is a picture of repentance, the getting up, leaving the old, and following the new.

A friend of mine once had to cling to a runaway horse as it dashed in panic across an open field. Both horse and rider were in danger as the horse’s muscles churned in terror. Most riders pull back hard on both reins, trying to get the “stop” signal through the waves of fear in the horse’s brain. A runaway horse isn’t listening to the rider, but just to his own terror. My friend, however, pulled on one rein and managed to pull the horse’s head around. Once that horse was looking the other way, he stopped. It’s hard to run with your nose in your armpit.

That’s a picture of repentance. That was Matthew, running in a frenzy for the money and the power. Jesus tugged on one rein. “Follow me.” When Matthew got a picture of what had been behind him – Jesus – he left everything and followed him. Once Matthew was looking the other way, he stopped. He changed directions and followed.

Fifty times in the gospels, Jesus said, “follow me.” A horse can't run two ways at once, and neither could Matthew. He changed ways to follow.

Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. (John 12:26)