Matthew 9:9 (NASB95) - “As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.”

Matthew was not just ignored—he was despised. As a tax collector, he was seen as a traitor, greedy, and unclean. Most people looked at him with anger or disgust. But when Jesus passed by his booth, He did something unexpected. Jesus saw him.

Jesus did not look away. He did not wait for Matthew to change. He did not ask him to clean up his life first. Instead, Jesus simply said two powerful words: “Follow Me.”

And Matthew got up and followed Him.

This is grace. Jesus loves first, then He calls. Change does not come before following—change comes through following.

What Matthew did next is just as beautiful. He opened his home and invited his friends—other tax collectors and sinners—to meet Jesus. The people everyone avoided were suddenly sitting at the table with the Savior. They felt welcomed because Jesus welcomed them.

The religious leaders were offended. They believed holiness meant staying far from sinners. But Jesus showed us the heart of God. He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick.” Jesus came close because that is how healing begins.

Matthew’s story reminds us of an important truth: Jesus does not call perfect people. He calls willing people. He meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be.

If you feel unworthy, broken, or looked down on, remember this—Jesus sees you. And He still says, “Follow Me.”

Is there an area of your life where you feel unworthy to follow Jesus fully? What would it look like to simply get up and follow Him today?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for seeing me as I am and loving me anyway. Help me stop waiting until I feel “good enough” and start following You with trust and obedience. Teach me to show the same grace to others that You have shown to me. In Your name. Amen.