Loading...[sing] Zacchaeus was a wee, little man and a wee, little man was he.
He climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see,
for the Lord he wanted to see....
Likely, we know this song from our Vacation Bible School or Sunday School days, so that’s probably the way we know the story from Luke about Zacchaeus best.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector in the town of Jericho. One day, Jesus was coming to town and the word got around. A huge crowd was gathered, lining the street where Jesus would be walking. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus also, but was so short that he couldn’t see over the crowd. So, he climbed a nearby sycamore tree to get some height. Sure enough, Jesus came by and when he did, he saw Zacchaeus up in the tree, stopped, and said, “I must come to your house today!” As you might imagine Zacchaeus gets pretty excited, clambers down the tree to get ready. The crowd grumbles and complains that Jesus is going to that sinner’s house! He’s the chief tax collector! He’s unclean!! Why would Jesus pay attention to him? Zacchaeus tells Jesus that he gives money away and repays what he’s defrauded people. Jesus declares that salvation has come to his house today.
How might we describe Zacchaeus?
he’s small of stature
he’s a tax collector, the chief tax collector
he’s despised by the community at large: he’s a cheat and he works for “the man” – the oppressive and horrible Roman government
He might have also been thought of as “small” because he was so disliked.
He might have been rich (which was often, and continues to be, mistaken as a “blessing from God”), but he was an outcast and a “sinner”;
he was on the fringe.
Yet, none of that seems to matter to Jesus.
Or, more accurately, Jesus looks right past all of that.
Jesus looks past his “smallness” – whatever it is that separates Zacchaeus from others and from God – and the SEES him for who he is.
Jesus looks past the brokenness and sees Zacchaeus.
Jesus doesn’t see Zacchaeus and say to him, “I must stay at your house today” because Zacchaeus has done something to get Jesus’ attention by something good that he’s done. All of the talk about returning what’s been defrauded and sharing his weath – all that talk happens after Jesus sees Zacchaeus.
Jesus sees Zacchaeus as who he truly is –
not as despised, money-grubbing, colluder with the state –but as son of Abraham,
beloved of God,
As one who was lost and is now found.
Jesus sees Zacchaeus, loves him, and wants to hang out with him.
Salvation has come to this house, indeed!!
~~~~~~~~~~~
My imagination is captured by this story.
When I was in Palestine six and a half years ago, I made sure to visit the city of Jericho in part because of this story:
where’s the sycamore tree?
or, at least, where is the road that Jesus would’ve been walking on?
There are many possibilities for the road Jesus would’ve been walking on, so that’s too hard to tell. But, there is a central square and park in Jericho. Maybe THAT’S where Jesus was walking; maybe that’s where the trees were planted.
My imagination is also sparked when I wonder about the “smallness” of Zacchaeus. And how we feel small sometimes.
I don’t mean the “vertical challenge” of being short!
Rather, when we feel small because we feel insecure,
or we wonder about our value or worth as a person
(maybe there’s even someone who’s contributed to that smallness that you might feel),
when we feel beaten up by life – when work isn’t going well, or friendships and relationships fall apart,
or, when we struggle with addictions of any kind, or mental illness such as depression or anxiety.
We can feel small for any number of reasons,
but the result is the same – you feel lost, pushed aside, and overlooked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And then...
Then Jesus sees you!!
Jesus sees you with love and kindness
as a child of God, a beloved of Jesus,
as one found and claimed by the Spirit!
The story of Zacchaeus embodies the promise that
You Will Be Seen By Jesus!
And, when Jesus sees you, you experience salvation—
you know hope,
you know healing,
life is renewed in you.
Zacchaeus’ story also embodies the promise that anyone who wishes to see Jesus will see Jesus:
in bread and wine
in acts of forgiveness and reconciliation
in one another;
when you act with (or see others act with) compassion and kindness,
in generosity—
generosity of spirit (which includes giving people the benefit of the doubt)
generosity of resources
generosity of self.
A generosity that Isaiah the prophet calls the people back to:
don’t use up your resources and energy in extravagant burnt offerings to God (The practice was to burn whole animals as a sacrifice to God in the Temple)!
Rather your offering to God should be your lives given in service to others – remembering the poor, the orphans, the widows!
Our offering to God is our whole self given to help God’s people in love
and for the healing of the world.
There are any number of ways to do this; our world is still broken.
You can stand in solidarity with those working for water rights,
you can work to overcome racism, especially the kind that pervades our society and its systems,
you can help those who live with food insecurity,
you can be a place a safety for those who live with domestic violence.
Zacchaeus’ story reminds us that we do see Jesus.
We see Jesus all around us in the people we encounter and with whom we share the healing and salvation that we know in Jesus the Christ.
Jesus, the great healer, who sees you and loves you.
Amen
