“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.”
Luke 19:4 (NLT)
Zacchaeus had status, wealth, and success—but he was still missing something. He needed to see Jesus. So this prominent man humbled himself and climbed a tree just to catch a glimpse. His passion overcame his pride.
When Jesus noticed him, everything changed. The crowd grumbled that Jesus would spend time with such a sinner—but their disapproval didn’t matter. Zacchaeus responded to Jesus’s presence with radical generosity: he gave away half his wealth and repaid those he cheated four times over. Many of the same people who criticized Jesus benefited from what happened that day.
But the real story is Zacchaeus’s salvation: “The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (v. 10).
Do I have that kind of passion? Would I humble myself and climb a tree just to see Jesus? Do I make room in my life to seek out “notorious sinners” so they can meet Him too?
I have some work to do—but today I’m inspired to keep climbing.