Depending on which translation of the book of Matthew you are reading, you will find the word “anyone” appearing in the teachings of Jesus approximately 40 times. The word “everyone” appears an additional 10 times. The word “whoever” shows up around 20 times.
What are we to make of that? At least this:
Jesus doesn’t make exceptions.
Isn’t that interesting? Perhaps especially because we tend to be people who like to think in terms of exceptions. We see that there is a line, but we think there must be a faster way for us. We look and see that there is a process in place, but we think that we can skip a couple of steps here and there. We find there is a checklist to be followed, but we think that we can start in the middle. In short, we are “yeah, but…” kind of people.
We see the rule, or the process, or the procedure, or the system and automatically look for the loophole. As in, “Yeah, this is generally how things work, but not for me.” But based on His extensive use of these all inclusive words, we see that Jesus doesn’t make exceptions.
On the one hand, that can be very troubling. For example:
“Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:19).
Or…
“But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:37-42).
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37-39).
There are no loopholes here; no exceptions to be made. This is the word of the Lord for the young and old; the rich and the poor; the powerful and the meek. If we are looking for the “yeah, but” as it applies to us, then we should not look to Jesus, for He does not make exceptions.
That might indeed be troubling news for us if we are looking for some kind of opt out clause in following Jesus. But the inclusiveness of Jesus is far more good news than it is bad. Because inasmuch as His “anyone’s” and “whoever’s” apply in this manner, so also do we find them in statements like these:
“‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests” (Matt. 22:8-10).
We are those “anyone’s” as well – the ones who don’t deserve to be at the banquet. The dirty, the downtrodden, the ones at the end of our ropes. Oh yes, this is the glory of being “anyone,” that “anyone” who knows they should not be invited to that banquet is precisely the “anyone” the master desires to be there.
Here again, we see that Jesus doesn’t make exceptions. Thank goodness He doesn’t. And the end of it all is that neither your perceived personal righteousness nor your perverse personal sin is cause for an exception. You may think you are too good to need Jesus, but you are not an exception. And you may think you are too bad to be received by Jesus, and you are not an exception. Jesus plays by the same rules when it comes to each and every one of us. And those rules are these:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).
