He chooses to sit with me...

Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32

The self-righteous scribes and Pharisees were incensed and puffed up as they questioned Jesus' choice to eat with sinners and publicans. Perhaps when Jesus said, 'They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,' He spoke a gently veiled rebuke. All have need of Jesus' healing power of repentance, since we are all sick with sin. Still He is kind and chooses to sit with me, purposefully and one-one-one, to heal my ailing spirit.

The covenant of faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost is the same for everyone. The Savior requires the same effort of everyone, 100%. Contrary to current verbiage, nobody can give 110%. Jesus asks us to give and do our best with the spiritual knowledge and maturity we possess. He offers complete recovery from our shortcomings or our sickness. He doesn't want us to become discouraged or compare ourselves with others further along the path. He wants us to be as good as we can be. He wants us to seek His medicine, our repentance and His grace."Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided." Doctrine and Covenants 10:4

Everyone is justified through faith in Christ in exactly the same way. Everyone--no matter what their level of growth and maturity. Therefore, I shouldn't get down on myself for not being able to give 110% or that so and so seems to be a better servant. Neither should I get down on or judge those who are not as far down the path as me.

Even though goodness and charity are important, the crucial thing is the desire of the heart, the attitude. If a broken heart and contrite spirit is not present, all the good we do is of little consequence. This attitude includes being open to spiritual influences, recognizing our dependence on deity, sacrificing all forms of pride, submitting to the will of the Father, repenting continually, felling gratitude for the Savior's atonement, and putting worldly things into proper perspective. Because Jesus paid for all my lack, I am just as much a beggar as the next person not so far along the path. The scribes and Pharisees didn't realize they had no superiority over sinners and publicans, but I realize that I have no superiority or inferiority compared to my neighbor. One small sin or 100 large sins are all the same to God, because 'no unclean thing can enter His presence.' Acceptance of Jesus' ability to wash us clean and asking Him to do so is the difference---His offering is a healing act of kindness.