A Gift For All, No Expiry Date!

Hello!

Thought I'd share this reflection from reading Luke 19:1-10. First and foremost, I'd have to say, I definitely was not able to draw the complete essence of this passage. The story of Zacchaeus is a very rich passage, filled with a myriad of points for application. Of course, I'm not here to cut and paste a commentary but rather just share my own thoughts and epiphanies.

I realised I was new to this passage. Reading it for the first time, it was intense, simply because this passage felt particularly rich and it resonated within me. But as I'm still in the process of learning how to read the word, I had to begin with some basic observations.

What we know about Zacchaeus:

• He was a chief tax collector, and hence, was rich (much focus on his life was placed on wealth)
• He sought Jesus when he came (to the extent of climbing a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus)
• Hurried to receive Jesus, and accepted him with joy
• Widely known as a sinner to many (he was an infamous sinner)
• Made amendments to his ways by giving to the poor and restoring the wealth of those that he had defrauded (renounced his love for wealth and acknowledged his sinful nature, repentant)
• Had salvation pronounced upon him (on the account of being a son of Abraham)

Here are some notable points I'd like to elaborate on:

1) Jesus did not discriminate against sinners; in fact, he came to seek and save them.

"Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today."

Luke 19:5

Jesus called out to Zacchaeus. He hadn't run into him by chance. Jesus told him to come, for he must stay with Zacchaeus. It was intentional. Jesus had sought him.

"He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

Luke 19:7

Zacchaeus was a well-known sinner among the people. Yet, in spite of that, Jesus chose to stay with Zacchaeus. Jesus showed no discrimination towards him for the fact that he was a sinner.

"For the son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

Luke 19:10

This verse makes it clear that Jesus' targets were not the righteous but the unrighteous sinners. Jesus did not show unfounded favour to the righteous, he came to tend to the needy, the lost and the sinners. He came seeking them with the intention of saving them. 

Similar to Jesus' attitude towards how he treated sinners, we ought to see others equally. It is important to question ourselves if we bear in our hearts unfounded discrimination towards certain groups of people: people of undignified background, social status, financial status; people of undignified vocations; people with sinful habits and difficult attitudes to deal with. If Jesus had the humility to sit down with sinners and eat, drink and live with them, what excuse do we have for refraining from showing kindness and love to them? Jesus did not discriminate against us, neither should we towards others. We ought to show kindness to and fellowship with not just the righteous people in our eyes, but also those deemed unrighteous - for they are the people whom Jesus came to seek and save, and hence, that is also what we are called to do.

2) Zacchaeus' willingness to repent and accept Jesus.

"So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully."

Luke 19:6

When Zacchaeus was called, he didn't just respond normally. He hurried down to receive Jesus, and with great joy at that. Zacchaeus' behaviour models the ideal posture for our hearts: that of pure joy, and softened, ready to receive Jesus.

"And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."

Luke 19:8

Zacchaeus' had taken it upon himself to make amendments for the sings that he had committed. That of the love of wealth, as well as the people he had defrauded. In doing so, he does two things: he acknowledges his sin (by restoring the wealth of those he had defrauded, he confesses his sins against them) and renounces it (by redistributing his wealth, he renounces his love for it).

Zacchaeus' attitude was one of genuine repentance. He gave up his wealth (which was known to be important to him) willingly, acknowledging his sins and turning away from them. And this he did after he had sought Jesus. Subsequently, Jesus pronounced salvation upon him on the account of being a son of Abraham. What a turn around change for a tax collector!

God has shown, through this passage, his purpose for Jesus and in that endeavour, He has also impressed upon me that our attitudes towards the people around us as well as our attitudes toward Jesus should mirror this passage: Seek Jesus, ask for forgiveness from my sins and act on turning away from sinful ways. Seek out others who are needy and lost; do not look down on them but rather edify them.

I suppose I'll have more to add on in due time but this has been a sufficiently vibrant reflection for one night. Oh how amazing is God's faithfulness and His purpose for us!

Matt