who needs a doctor?

² People brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a cot. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man who was paralyzed, “Be encouraged, my child, your sins are forgiven.” ³ Some legal experts said among themselves, “This man is insulting God.” ⁴ But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you fill your minds with evil things? ⁵ Which is easier—to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But so you will know that the Human One has authority on the earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“Get up, take your cot, and go home.” ⁷ The man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowds saw what had happened, they were afraid and praised God, who had given such authority to human beings. ⁹ As Jesus continued on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at a kiosk for collecting taxes. He said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. ¹⁰ As Jesus sat down to eat in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and his disciples at the table. ¹¹ But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² When Jesus heard it, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. ¹³ Go and learn what this means: I want mercy and not sacrifice. I didn’t come to call righteous people, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:2-13, CEB)

“Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do.”

I guess I’m sick, because I see a doctor every 6 months at least. I mean if you know me, you know I am over weight, you may not know that I have High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes, and I am sure other health issues. But I am not sick, I’m unhealthy but on the healthy side of it, my meds help control my issues, and the doctor helps me. But Jesus isn’t speaking of preventative medicine if that was even a thing in those days, he is speaking about life or death.

Those who are in the right with God don’t need Jesus. They have already been given life and therefore do not need a savior, but those who do not know God need to know God, and if we wait for them to come to us we will be waiting a long time. Jesus is the model that shows us to go to the people.

We need to be where the people are and show them God’s love.

Love People, Love God.