Read: Luke 19:1-10
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” (v. 9)
Were you the one at tryouts who wasn’t athletic enough to make the team? You weren’t attractive enough to be prom queen? Your grades weren’t sufficient for the honor society? It’s not just high school; people seem to naturally pick and choose between the worthy and the unworthy. But Jesus sees us differently.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector in Jericho and he was short. He couldn’t see over the crowd, but he wanted to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree. When Jesus passed by and looked up, he didn’t see a short man in a tree—he saw Zacchaeus. Jesus came to find lost people, and he himself was their source of salvation. Saving these people required his personal attention. When he saw Zacchaeus, he saw someone who wanted to know him. So Jesus called out, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today” (v. 5).
Remember what Jesus says and does about his mission, because that informs how he sees you! Don’t try to impress Jesus with your credentials. Make the effort to show him you want to see him, know him, and be with him. Take time after you read today in quiet prayer and invite Jesus just to be with you. Just as he called out to Zacchaeus, he’s calling out to you today.
As you pray, ask Jesus how to express your desire to know him better, to be with him and to learn from him. Start looking for opportunities, because your prayer will be answered.
Fred Van Dyke is a conservation biologist dedicated to the care for God’s creation. In this role Fred has served government agencies, private consulting firms, and academic institutions doing research, management, and teaching in conservation science. He is also the author of two books on faith and environmental stewardship.
