Zacchaeus
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But 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.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19: 1-9
He was a chief tax collector and because of his occupation, I am certain he was not seen as a friend. He was likely someone you’d avoid talking to and interacting with when you were around him. On top of that, he was short. So short, that in a crowd of people he couldn’t see over anyone’s head. That’s a short man. That’s not something you often see so I am certain his stature is what people first noticed about him. I think it’s safe to say that his occupation and his appearance is what everyone around him, that loved and followed Jesus, judged him by.
I imagine people said things like, “Look at that weirdo climbing the tree because he’s too short to see over our heads!” They certainly weren’t saying, “Look at what that man is willing to do just to SEE salvation.” While the people that day were judging him because they saw themselves as “better than he” – not too short, not working the wrong job, not being weird to see Jesus – this man was doing all he could to just SEE salvation. Then suddenly Salvation, the Son of God, in front of all of those “holy” people, chose to dwell in HIS HOUSE above all others. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
We have a responsibility, a mandate, to make room for every single person that walks through the back door regardless of what they look like, sound like, smell like, and act like. The Rock of Central Florida is called to be the House chosen to dwell in, made up of people ready to serve every Zacchaeus that walks through the back door. We have to ask ourselves – when Salvation comes, will I be standing under the tree mocking Zacchaeus, or am I the tree holding Zacchaeus up to see Salvation?