On Sunday evening we read the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) as a family. We finished our Bible study with the question, What do you learn about what kind of a person Jesus is from this story?
I learned that Jesus is someone who only needs a small gesture of interest from a person in order to bring about what Luke calls “salvation” (which is tied in this text to economic justice)(vv. 8-10). The text seems to emphasize Zacchaeus’s curiosity.
“He was trying to see who Jesus was” (v. 3).
“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him . . .” (v. 4).
“So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him” (v. 6).
Though Zacchaeus was a “sinner”, one despised by others (v. 7), he is the one who shows exceptional interest in Jesus. It is that curiosity which Jesus recognizes—and which sets in motion the process of restitution, probable reconciliation (we don’t know how the crowd responded to Zacchaeus’s pledge to repay those he had defrauded), indeed salvation. In the midst of all that are Jesus’ words of welcome to Zacchaeus—“Hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today”. It is a welcome that Zacchaeus is only too eager to return (v. 6). And it all began with Zacchaeus’s visible spark of interest in Jesus.
I take from the story encouragement for the work of ministry. Jesus works with us, not because our resume is perfect (if that were the case, who could stand before the Lord?), but because he sees something in us with which he can work. And, if this story is to be believed, that which Jesus sees may be nothing more than our desire to make a start with him.
-Joe
