Friday, March 31, 2023

As a child in Sunday School, I remember the song “Zacchaeus (Was a Wee Little Man).” I used to sing, “Zacchaeus! You come down. For I’m coming to your house today,” at the top of my lungs. I always wondered what a sycamore tree looked like and how short Zacchaeus must have been. As I got older and revisited the story, I was amazed at the amount of money Zaccheaus volunteered to give up after that brief encounter with Jesus. Those two earthy matters are what stuck out most in my mind; however, I missed the greater truth. 

Luke 19:9-10 NIV
⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Zacchaeus was a Jew and a tax collector. The Roman government paid him to tax his people. They did not care how much he charged as long as they got their share. He was considered a traitor, and his people hated him. 

Apparently, it never bothered him, until the day he met Jesus. His encounter with Jesus changed everything. He realized that he was broken. He saw clearly his own sinful heart and pride. When he felt Jesus’ forgiveness, it changed him. 

Later, as Jesus went along toward Jerusalem, he reminded the people that, though he was the Messiah, he was not ushering in the Kingdom of God at that time. He knew that the people would triumphantly parade him through Jerusalem—but he also knew they would turn against him as soon as they realized he wasn’t going to liberate them from their current systems of oppression. When the Jewish religious leaders rebuked him for letting his disciples declare that he was God, Jesus replied that the very stones would burst forth in cheers if they kept silent (v. 40), yet he knew that creation would soon groan over his death. 

So what does this mean for us today? How can the story of a little man and a parade change our lives? 

First, we can see how a true encounter with Jesus can turn our lives upside down. When we encounter the living Christ, everything changes. Things that were important no longer have a hold on our hearts. 

Second, we may think we know God’s plans, but more often, they are beyond our understanding. When we put our own understanding before what God has actually planned, we will be disappointed. We must know God’s promises, but we must also be patient and willing to wait on his timing, since our own understanding is limited. Jesus is our Messiah, and his ways are not our ways.  

Questions:
Are you a follower or just an observer of Jesus? How has your life changed since encountering Jesus? What do you do when you discover that your best laid plans don’t seem to fit with the plans God has for your life?

Next Steps:
Think about how your life is different now than it was before you encountered Jesus. Think about other areas of your life that need to change for you to become more like Jesus. Pray for God to reveal those areas to you. 

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for coming to me in my brokenness. Thank you for inviting me to open my home and heart to your life-changing presence. Thank you for changing me. Open my eyes to see what next steps I need to take to become more like you. Help me keep my eyes fixed upon you so that I never lose sight of the prize you have called me toward. Amen.