What's Your Story?
- Lauren
- Nov 12, 2024
- 3 min read
“For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” -Luke 19:10, NRSV
In the gospel of Luke 19:1-10, we find the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. The story goes that Jesus was passing through the city of Jericho during his ministry, and a tax collector named Zacchaeus wished to get a glimpse of Jesus. The streets of Jericho were full of people who also wanted to see Jesus. But, there was a dilemma … Zacchaeus was not the tallest guy, and he couldn’t see over the large crowds. Furthermore, he was a tax collector, and nobody liked tax collectors. Zacchaeus climbed up a tree to see Jesus, and when Jesus saw Zacchaeus in that tree, he addressed him as if he already knew him.
Let’s consider this story from Zacchaeus’ view:
You work as a tax collector in the first century city of Jericho. Because of your job, many people despise you. Lately, there seems to be change around this city. Rumors of a person named Jesus have been floating over from other towns. You have heard of this Jesus person too. Some say he’s the Messiah. Some say he’s crazy. There are stories of him making the blind see, the sick healthy, and the wounded walk. Even though you aren’t sure if you believe these stories, you have to get a glimpse of this man. Who is this Jesus person everyone has been talking about?
Everyone has been saying that Jesus will be in town today. So, you leave your workplace to walk towards the entrance to town. As you walk down to the main street of Jericho, it is absolutely crowded with people. There are hundreds of people lining the dirt road, and Jesus is supposed to be walking by any second. But, as you approach the crowd, everyone is a head taller than you! You cannot see a thing. From left to right, the street is crowded with people towering over you. A wall of people is preventing your line of vision from seeing where Jesus is supposed to be walking by. Yet, you see a sycamore tree along the road. Hmmmm ... now there’s an idea.
From high up in the sycamore tree, you have a much better view. And there you can see in the distance, a man walking up the street. As he walks, the crowds push in on him. He doesn’t panic or ask people to step aside. He simply greets them, and he looks at every person as if they are the only one in sight. He has an aura about him. You can’t quite place it. He continues walking up the street, making his way closer and closer to the tree you are up in.
When he approaches the tree, Jesus looks directly at you. He looks at you and says: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today” (Lk 19:5).
You don’t even know this man, but he already knows you.
So, you hurry down from the tree. As you make your way down the tree, you find yourself smiling, and the judgmental looks and whispers of the other people close by don’t mean a thing.
When you get down to solid ground, you find yourself face to face with the One who knows you completely. Faults and all. And He is smiling at you.
So, what’s you story?
When has Jesus called you personally to Himself? Was it when you least expected it? Are you still waiting to for His call? Sometimes the Lord uses the least likely situations to reach us.
If you feel like you are up in a tree today, just trying to desperately see out into the world, allow Jesus to call you down to Himself.
He will show you the way.
All scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible
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