Daily Bible Reading

Verse

The way of the LORD is strength to the upright:  but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.  –Proverbs 10: 29

Reflection

God’s ways always lead to life and goodness.  It is always profitable to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit.  But if we choose to go the other way, and follow the way of the wicked, we will find ourselves in much turmoil.  Where God is not involved, there can never be any good that comes out of it.

Prayer

Dear God, in this world it can become very tempting to follow the ways that are contrary to yours.  But Lord, I choose to remain in your path.  May You keep me focused, Lord, in times I am tempted to sway.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

We Are Called to the Lost

Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector.  Tax collectors in the times of Jesus were not popular people.  I’m pretty sure tax collectors of the present day we live in are also held in a high regard.  Zacchaeus probably held high societal status as a result as his wealth.  But none of that meant a thing to him when he wanted to meet Jesus.  He wasn’t a very tall man but he did not allow this to stop him.  He put his dignity aside, ran ahead and climbed a tree in order to see Jesus.  It was very clear that Zacchaeus was determined to meet Jesus and possibly converse with Him.

Jesus took it several steps further and informed Zacchaeus that he was going to stay with him.  This was a shock to everyone around Jesus – and probably to Zacchaeus too.  Tax collectors were known for using sneaky, underhanded means to retrieve their money from other people.  When people heard that Jesus was going to stay with Zacchaeus they started to grumble, accusing Jesus of associating with sinners.

What a funny thing for them to say, considering the fact that they were sinners too.  They probably didn’t see it that way because they felt that they weren’t as bad as Zacchaeus.  Self-righteousness can blind you of your own flaws while you amplify the flaws of other people.  Jesus wasn’t moved.  He wasn’t there to follow the status quo.  He was there to reach out to people from different walks of life.

Look at the transformation that occurred within Zacchaeus.  He was determined to give away half of his possessions to the poor and he was wiling to pay back four times the amount to anyone he had cheated.  A repentant heart!  What a sight!  All of this was triggered by the loving gesture Jesus made, by reaching out to Zacchaeus.

Jesus ended it off with the perfect statement, putting all grumblers to silences, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

We should never get to a point of thinking that we are better than the lost.  Remember that there was a time where you were lost and you responded to the love that God was stretching out in your direction.

As Christians, we are called to reach out to the lost – no matter how crazy or “sinful” they may appear to be.  When we allow the love of God to work through us, miracles will happen.  The same way they happened when Jesus reached out to Zacchaeus – a man most people had written off of as a sinner who could never be saved.