The answer is: In a tax booth

Matt 9:9 - Receipt of custom in the KJV

Ah, the tax booth! The tax collector's world during Jesus' time certainly wasn’t the most glamorous. Imagine a dusty stand where people grudgingly handed over their coins while slinking past the tax collector's glare. Who’s that sitting there? Oh, it's Matthew, also known as Levi – someone who was not only collecting money for Rome, the occupier of Israel, but also alienating himself from his fellow Jews, who typically saw tax collectors as betrayers.

It's interesting to think about Matthew as a combination of an outcast and a key player in Jesus' extraordinary crew of followers. In fact, rejection of tax collectors was so pronounced that they were often grouped alongside sinners, as seen throughout the gospels. But why this narrative focus on a tax collector? Maybe it serves to remind us that no one is beyond redemption, regardless of society’s labels or judgments.

Jesus’ call to Matthew offers us a mirror – it's not about where you've been or what you've done that matters; it's about the journey you choose moving forward. Added richness comes into play when you consider how Matthew later becomes one of the four gospel writers, providing a beacon of hope and faith for individuals who feel sidelined in their own lives. Fun trivia: Matthew’s gospel stresses that Jesus, in many ways, turned societal norms upside down, helping those in need instead of distancing Himself from sinners. A groundbreaking, compassionate approach!