Read: Luke 19:1-10
So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. (v. 6)
We have seen Jesus at a dinner where he was scrutinized, tested, and challenged by those who considered themselves to be irreproachable. But what happened when Jesus was received with joy by someone that everyone knew was a sinner? What a far different scene this was!
This story about Zacchaeus, the little man who climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, is well-loved. We’re told he climbed the tree because of his short stature, but it’s likely he was also hoping the tree would hide him and allow him to see Jesus without attracting any attention. Zacchaeus wasn’t a popular man; he was a tax collector, and his kind were known as dishonest men who cheated others to enrich themselves. But Zacchaeus couldn’t hide from Jesus! Jesus took the initiative to meet him. He looked up into the tree, called him by name, and basically invited himself to dinner with Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was delighted! While others grumbled because Jesus was going to eat with a sinner, Zacchaeus received him with joy. The end result? Rejoicing and salvation and the restoration of a lost son of Israel. What a celebration was held on that day!
Zacchaeus pledged to give half of his goods to the poor, and to restore “fourfold” anything he had obtained by fraud (v. 8). A changed heart is evidence of salvation. So is the joyful reception of Jesus and his teaching into your life. What brings you joy today?
As you pray, ask God to open your heart so you may joyfully receive his word.
About the Author
Laura Sweet
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian school teacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
