Little Man in Jericho

I was surprised to learn this week that my husband did not grow up learning, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. And when the Savior passed his way, He looked up in the tree. And He said, Zacchaeus, you come down. For I’m coming to your house today… for I’m coming to your house today.” Was it a Lutheran Sunday School thing?

Because I’ve known the story of Zacchaeus all my life, it’s always a challenge not to skim over it when I come across it in my devotional time. I know he’s a wee little man and that Jesus came to his house. So? But this time God spoke differently to me. Take a look at the story, as if for the first time, and see if you notice anything you may not have seen before:

¹Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ²A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." ⁶So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "

⁸But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

⁹Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

(Luke 19:1-10)

Zacchaeus was a tax collector living in Jericho during the days of Jesus’ ministry on earth. The city was prominent and strategic in the Roman world at the time this story takes place. And the people there were no stranger to up and coming religious preachers, as John the Baptist had been ministering at the Jordan River within sight of Jericho. Zacchaeus was certainly aware of the spiritual climate among the people from whom he collected taxes, and Jesus’ visit to the city would have caused curiosity, at the very least.

What does Zacchaeus have to show us about interacting with Jesus? Here are a few things God brought to my attention:

1) Jesus took the initiative. He always does. He came to where Zacchaeus was and had clearly already been working in his heart for the response to be so dramatic once they finally met. He entered the home of a ‘sinner’ and praised his faith. Zacchaeus’ sin didn’t threaten Jesus’ holiness and neither does ours. He seeks us and wants us to understand and love Him.

2) Zacchaeus had a positive response to Jesus. He ran ahead (verse 4), he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly (verse 6). Do I joyfully anticipate God’s activity? Am I excited to spend time with Him? Or have I become calloused, complacent or contemptuous enough to be distracted with other activities while my Savior passes by?

3) His priorities shifted immediately. Look at how quickly Zach relinquishes his hold on what must have been a very lucrative career fleecing the people while collecting taxes for Rome: “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Hebrew law required that full value + 1/5 be given in restitution for wrongfully gotten gain. (Numbers 5:6-7) But when Jesus touches our hearts, He often sets the bar above and beyond the legalistic rules we’re accustomed to following, and when our relationship with Him is what it should be, that doesn’t seem too much.

4) Zacchaeus’ transformation demonstrates God’s purpose. Jesus takes great joy in announcing that salvation has come to the house He has visited because of Zacchaeus’ faith, evidenced by his actions. Jesus came to save the lost, not pat the righteous on the back. When one of those lost souls fully grasps Jesus’ identity and experiences His love and forgiveness, they are eternally changed. That’s God’s business.

Do you see yourself in Zacchaeus? He is open to Jesus’ activity in his life. He welcomes Jesus into where he lives and is willing to sacrifice what is most precious to him to show his gratitude. He anticipates Jesus being around and looks for His Presence. In his understanding of Jesus, Zacchaeus is willing to come down from his perch where he observes Jesus, and enters into an authentic relationship where he takes the risk to be changed. Honestly, I have lots of days when I’m content to just gaze at Jesus from afar, contemplating His character and potential activity, but doing nothing myself to come closer and take the risk that I may have to change. I think God’s calling me to more. I want the enthusiasm and openness to welcome Jesus into every area of my life and jump with both feet into what He has for me. Don’t you?

• Read Matthew 12:33 and James 2:17. How do these verses relate to Zacchaeus and his experience with Jesus? How do you see it play out in your own life?

• Read Luke 23:39-43. What does the man talking to Jesus have in common with Zacchaeus? How is he different?

• How would you describe your attitude toward Jesus recently? Have you been anticipating time in His Presence? Are you gazing from a safe distance or are you ready and willing to come to where He is, at His invitation, to fully engage in life as He intends you to?

• Are there any areas of your life that need restitution? People you’ve wronged in the past? Half-truths that need to be clarified for the health of a relationship? Ask God to give you specific direction as to what that might look like.