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Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. "What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and 'sinners'?"

Jesus heard about it and spoke up, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out."

We all have different levels of comfort when interacting with the culture around us.  We also have differing perspectives and definitions of vice and sin.  I have heard the passage from the Bible listed above used to illustrate a variety of approaches to life, but I have to admit dismay at folks that ignore this passage and become adamant that "Jesus did not hang out with sinners."  For whatever reason they have decided to move through life in a fortress mentality and feel the need to disparage folks for making friends of the lost.  How sad to move through life in a Christian Ghetto.  God has blessed us so that we can bless others.  Look to the model that Jesus demonstrated for us.  He did not merely "move in the midst" of the throngs of sinners and preach at them, he broke bread with them.  He sat with them.  He engaged them.  He ate and drank with them.  If we are honest about our own journey to salvation, he made a friend of us as well and sought us ought--we didn't find Him on our own.  It was His kindness that led us to our repentance.  The least we can do is share that same kindness with others.

That is how I explained it to my friends when they asked about the box of green beads, and other St. Paddy's day trinkets I was bringing along with me on our pub crawl.  They were silent for a few moments.  I could see them processing it.  I let the Holy Spirit do the work.  As the evening began, they sat back and shook their head as their "crazy friend" talked to strangers and gave away small gifts that had an amazing effect on people.  At one point my one friend leaned into me and whispered that it was as if I was giving away gold.  He could not get over the joy that people expressed at such small and seemingly meaningless tokens being given to them.  Then he asked the magic question, "Is that what you meant by that God's Kindness stuff?"

Before long he was joining me.  It was a great deal of fun, especially when he would trip up on his "lines" and look back to me as if it mattered that he "got it right."  So many of us do that.  We get tangled up in the script and forget that it is the simple act of loving God, and extending that love to others so that they might notice Him.  Perhaps those of us that write and teach about evangelism are even more guilty of this.  We need to stop making this out to be rocket science.  Felt needs are all around us.  You don't need a big event or a holiday to go out love others!

Ken Glassmeyer is the Editor of Serve! Magazine.  He has been doing SE outreach in the midwest for over twenty years.  He currently leads a "not-so-small" group bible study in his community.   Ken is the author of a number of PDF guides available at Kindness Resources including the latest:  "Tactical Kindness" You can contact Kindness Resources for more information on having him come to your church to coach, speak or consult.