Matthew was a Jewish man. He was also called Levi. Matthew collected taxes for the Roman government. Most Jewish people did not like tax collectors. Why? Because often they cheated people and kept some of the tax money for themselves.
One day while Matthew was collecting taxes, Jesus came to him. Matthew 9:9 tells us about this.
“When Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me.’ So he got up and followed Jesus.” Matthew left his job and followed Jesus. Matthew worked with Jesus for about three years. After Jesus returned to heaven, Matthew worked with the other disciples in Jerusalem to start the first church.
We don’t know a lot about Matthew, but we do know that he gave up his job to follow Jesus. Are you willing to give up something to follow Jesus? Maybe God wants you to give up your job and become a missionary in a foreign country. Or maybe God wants you to give up a bad habit so you can serve Him in a better way.
Think about your life today. Tell God that you are willing to be like Matthew and serve Him every day.
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Matthew, the Writer
January 4
January 4, 2019 • Jo Krueger
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