Last Pick: What Does Jesus See in the Least Likely?

by Pastor Anthony Lucarini

Ever feel overlooked, unqualified, or like the last one anyone would choose? The world may label you “irrelevant,” but Jesus sees more. In Luke 5, we meet a man society had written off—a tax collector named Levi, also known as Matthew. Yet Jesus looked at him with purpose and said two powerful words: Follow Me.

What Can We Learn from “Mr. Irrelevant”?

At the NFL Draft, the final pick receives a nickname: “Mr. Irrelevant.” It may sound humorous, but it’s a subtle jab that suggests the last pick probably won’t matter. That was Brock Purdy’s story in 2022, until injuries put him on the field and he led the 49ers to the NFC Championship.

Luke 5 introduces us to a similar moment. Matthew is sitting in a tax booth, wealthy but despised. His community sees him as a sellout, the last person worth choosing. But when Jesus notices him, He doesn’t see a mistake. He sees a future.

Why Would Jesus Choose Someone Like That?

Matthew collected taxes for the Roman Empire and profited from his own people. He was banned from the synagogue and associated with criminals. Yet Jesus said, “Follow Me,” and Matthew left everything to walk a new road.

That’s the grace of Jesus. He calls us as we are and offers us a new identity. Just as Matthew stepped away from his old life, we are invited to surrender our sin and step into the purpose God has for us.

How Can We Introduce Others to Jesus?

Matthew’s response to Jesus was to host a dinner and invite his friends. He brought Jesus into his home and introduced Him to the very people the religious crowd avoided. Matthew didn’t wait to have all the answers. He simply shared what he had found.

This is evangelism at its most powerful. You do not need a platform or a title. You only need a heart willing to reach your circle with the love of Christ.

Who Are You Called to Reach?

When the Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with sinners, Jesus replied, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31–32 NASB95).

Jesus came for the ones others overlook. The forgotten. The outcasts. The ones the world calls last. He calls them first.

So do not count yourself out. If Jesus can redeem Matthew and turn a tax collector into a Gospel writer, He can redeem your story too. And just like Matthew, you have the incredible opportunity to invite others in—your friends, neighbors, coworkers—to meet the Jesus who changes everything.