Corona Devo 532

Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. (2) There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. (3) He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.(4) So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

(5) When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

(6) Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. (7) But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

(8) Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

(9) Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. (10) For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”  ~Luke 19:1-10

Zaccheaus was so much more than a "wee little man". His story can bring to light some unpleasantness about who we are and how we respond to others. But his story also sheds light on who Jesus is and how Jesus responds with acceptance and an invitation to every one of us.

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Zacchaeus was up in a tree, trying to position himself better than others around him, just as he did everyday in his tax job by taking extra taxes from people to provide for his own wealth and to "position himself" better. Zacchaeus didn't deserve the favor of Jesus making a stop for him, and neither have we. But Jesus invites us (and every Zacchaeus) down from our limb to join Him.

Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy (Luke 19:6). We are one way before we encounter Jesus, and we are changed after we have been met by Him. Have you experienced the excitement and joy of meeting Jesus? Or of having Him see you?

Zacchaeus is a perfect example of how Jesus gives mercy, grace, and acceptance before we even know enough to seek it or Him, and He knows full well that we will never deserve it. But He seeks us out anyway.

Let's climb down from that tree and turn the tables. Switch the scene to those of us seeking to emulate Jesus, to act like Him, to live like He lived and to treat others as He treated them.

How are we doing in comparison?

But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. ~Luke 19:7

Where is my heart (and what Godly outcome do my attitude and judgments lend themselves to) when I encounter people who are up in the trees of life, "fending for themselves"?

How do we look upon and relate to others who haven't "met" Jesus yet, and thus position themselves to have a worldly "leg up" on us and everyone around them?

"The people" disdained Zacchaeus, and grumbled about Jesus taking the time to be with him.

But Jesus saw more to Zacchaeus than his job and his short-comings. Just as Jesus sees more to us than what the world sees.

Jesus sees in us (and others) what we can be if we will come down...and invite Him to be a guest in our heart today (Luke 19:5).

Jesus loved Zacchaeus right where he was at in life.

Oh, to be loved right where we are at.

And we are.

If we know Jesus today, the only difference between us and every other Zacchaeus is that He's already called us down out of the world's tree and into His arms.

We pass a myriad of "Zacchaeus's" every day. At work, on our street, online and in line.

Will we choose to see them as Jesus does? Will we stop in the midst of our journey to acknowledge them, to get to know their name?

And might we possibly skip the (self-righteous) judgement (But the people were displeased... ~Luke 19:7) and fast-forward to the grace and salvation of Christ (For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”  ~Luke 19:10)?

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Zacchaeus had climbed the tree with a worldly perspective of "what's in it for me?" and Jesus met him right there. Jesus looked him in the eye, called him by name and said (essentially), "Let's connect." And then they shared in a meal together.

The truth is, Jesus never stops inviting us to sup with Him. Will we join Him today?

And (check the trees) who else can we invite to the table?

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com