"Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Luke 19:5
Zaccheus was a tax collector during the time Jesus walked the earth. It is important to understand that he was not merely the equivalent of someone who works in today's IRS. The Roman government required that the population be taxed, but those who collected taxes often collected much more than was required. They took advantage of their positions and enriched themselves while contributing to the degradation of others. They were also citizens of the occupied country. This caused them to be vilified and even hated. They were spoken of in the same vein as the worst sinners.
Zaccheus sought Jesus. To his delight and the derision of others, Jesus not only recognized his efforts (being short in stature, he climbed a tree to get close to him), but honored him by being willing to be a guest in his home.
Beloved, there are two glorious lessons that can be taken from this event. First, we are all Zaccheus. Each and every one of us is, by nature, sinful. Despite the awful things we have done, the darkness in which we have lived and the incredible distance we stand from purity and holiness, Jesus came to seek and save we who were lost. Second, if Jesus can condescend to embrace the lowest of the low, to sit and sup with them, surely we must do likewise. He has provided us with a great example of tolerance and love. We must be able to look beyond the sin and see the need.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
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