A Reflection from Matthew 9:9
Young friends, listen closely because this short verse from Matthew 9:9 is speaking directly to you right now. As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, Follow me. And he rose and followed him. In those few words you find a truth that can reshape your entire future: Jesus sees you exactly where you are, calls you by name, and invites you into something far bigger than the life you are currently living.
You know what it feels like to be defined by your surroundings. Maybe you are sitting in a classroom where everyone expects you to be a certain way, or scrolling through feeds that tell you who you should be, what you should look like, and what success looks like. Perhaps you are in a group of friends where certain choices feel normal even when they leave you empty inside. Or you are carrying around mistakes, regrets, labels people have put on you, or labels you have put on yourself—things that make you feel like you are stuck, like this is just who you are and who you will always be. Matthew was in exactly that kind of place. His tax booth was not just a job; it was a whole identity. Everyone knew him as the guy who worked for Rome, the one who took money from his own people, the one nobody invited to the table. He was young, ambitious in the wrong direction, and probably convinced that his path was set.
But Jesus walked right up to that booth. He did not wait for Matthew to quit his job first, clean up his reputation, or prove he was sorry enough. Jesus saw him—really saw him—and spoke two words that carried more power than any influencer, any trend, any voice screaming for attention in your world today: Follow me. Those words were not a suggestion. They were a summons from the One who has authority over every part of life. And when Jesus calls, the call itself gives you the strength to answer.
Matthew stood up. Just like that. He left the money on the table, the booth unmanned, the security of his old life behind him, and he walked away to follow Jesus. That single decision launched him into a completely different story. The guy who used to count coins for an empire ended up writing one of the four Gospels, recording the words and works of the King of kings. His life became part of the greatest movement in history because he dared to rise when Jesus called.
Young people, Jesus is passing by your booth right now. Whatever your booth looks like—the phone that controls your time, the pressure to fit in, the secret habits you cannot seem to break, the fear that you are not good enough, the anger you keep feeding, the dreams you are chasing that leave you hollow—he sees it all. And he is not shocked. He is not disgusted. He is not waiting for you to fix everything before he speaks. He is looking at you with love that knows every detail and still says, Follow me.
Following him does not mean you have to have your whole life figured out. It means you start walking with him today. It means choosing his voice over the noise of social media, choosing his way over the easy path, choosing his forgiveness over carrying guilt, choosing his purpose over temporary thrills. Every time you say yes to him—even in small ways—you are rising from the booth. You are leaving behind what used to define you and stepping into who you were created to be.
This is not about being perfect. Matthew was far from perfect when Jesus called him. This is about being willing. Willing to stand up when everyone else expects you to stay seated. Willing to leave the familiar even when the future feels uncertain. Willing to let Jesus lead instead of trying to lead yourself into places that only hurt more. The life he offers is real adventure—friendships that go deeper than surface level, strength to face hard things, forgiveness that actually cleans the slate, purpose that lasts beyond the next trend or graduation or paycheck.
So here is what you can do starting today. Listen for his voice. It comes through Scripture when you open it honestly, through prayer when you talk to him like he is really there, through the quiet moments when the world gets loud and you sense him speaking. When you hear Follow me—whether it is a nudge to forgive someone, to walk away from something toxic, to speak up for what is right, to spend time with him instead of scrolling, or to trust him with your future—do not wait. Rise. Take the step. Leave the booth behind.
You are not too young for this call, and you are not too messed up for this grace. Jesus is building his kingdom right now, and he wants young hearts like yours in it—young hearts that are willing to stand up, walk away from the old, and follow him wherever he leads. The same power that raised Matthew from his booth is the power that can raise you into a life of freedom, joy, and eternal impact.
Rise up, young ones. The call is for you. Jesus is saying your name. Follow him. Your story is just beginning, and it is going to be incredible.
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