Are You "A Friend of Sinners"?

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
     - Luke 7:34

The religious leaders harassed Jesus because he spent time with 'bad' people. Although Jesus was not a glutton or a drunkard, he spent time with them. It seems that he preferred them to the uptight religious people! So it makes sense that they would call him "a glutton and a drunkard" by association.

Do people call you names because you spend time with the 'wrong' people? If not, maybe it's time to reconsider who you spend time with. Jesus, after all, is our role model. Would people call you "a friend of sinners"? If not, perhaps you want to rethink who your friends are. Jesus, after all, was a friend of sinners. 

So often we isolate ourselves into our safe little bubbles, and we miss out on the richness of seeing the kingdom of God come in new ways - both in our own hearts as well as in the hearts of the different groups of people we spend time with. 

Take some time today to ponder these questions and to talk with Jesus about who he is calling you to spend time with.