Up a Tree

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’ Luke 19:1-10

We had a sycamore tree at the side of the yard. The branches were high and the bark looked patchy and pealed. The leaves provided huge shade in the heat of the summer. My view of the world changed as I stood on our second floor porch, touching the tree and seeing way out over to the ocean. No matter how small we are, or might feel, a change of location can change everything.

Jesus saw a wealthy man in the sycamore tree branches. Can you imagine that today? A person who was respected and feared, climbed up a tree just to see Jesus. So Jesus stopped and went home with him. Everyone knew he was wealthy because he was cruel and defrauded many. Yet the Savior saw him, sought him out and went home with him. Everything changed for Zacchaeus. Jesus named him as part of the family of God. We are invited to know that God loves all of us, and that despite our judgments and criticism of others, and their bad behavior, God loves them too.

Today I ask God to help me put all judgment aside and see each child of God before me. May we all be ready to see one another as a member of the beloved family of God.