A Writer’s Transformation

Shalom and happy Sabbath!

There are many who do not only idolize artists and athletes, but also authors such as JK Rowling who wrote Harry Potter, Arthur Conan who wrote Sherlock Holmes, and many others.

A big fan of those authors will collect all the novels, stories, and other books written by their idol. They even are willing to spend much money to purchase those books.

But did you know that, in the past, there was a writer who was hated by his own fellow men? He was Matthew, a tax collector who was sitting on his own chair, writing the tax of each of his fellow Jews.

Matthew and the other tax collectors were hated by many because the tax that was charged to his own nation. “The taxgatherers were not merely the instruments of Roman oppression; they were extortioners on their own account, enriching themselves at the expense of the people. A Jew who accepted this office at the hands of the Romans was looked upon as betraying the honor of his nation. He was despised as an apostate, and was classed with the vilest of society.” (The Desire of Ages 272.1)

One day, while Matthew was sitting on his tax booth, came Jesus to him. Filled with wonder, he heard the voice of Jesus saying, “Follow Me,” and without any hesitation, he stood up, left his business, and followed Him. Matthew did not think that his “lucrative business to be exchanged for poverty and hardship.” (The Desire of Ages 273.2)

Since then, from a hated writer, he became the writer of the book of Matthew. What an incredible transformation!

Each one of us is also an author—an author of our own book of life. Every deed that we do is like a scratch recorded in every page of our book.

May we all inscribe a good and true note of life that other people “… may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

God bless us all. Amen.