Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” “When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not change your minds and believe him.”

Matthew 21:31b-32

In the above passage, Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders. He tells them that because they did not listen to John the Baptist and did not change their behavior, they are not entering into God’s kingdom. However, prostitutes, tax collectors and other sinners were entering the kingdom because they had acknowledged their sins and were turning back toward God. 

No one in that time would have thought the tax collectors, prostitutes and other sinners would have been interested in a relationship with God or Jesus. It would have been assumed that by their lifestyle and their behavior they had already rejected God and didn’t want anything to do with him. You would have assumed that; and you would have been wrong. Don’t assume someone has no interest in repenting or turning back to God. 

Pray today for a lost family member or friend to come back into a relationship with their heavenly Father.