We have four children. That means that at least 20 times a day someone gets (*accidentally* of course) bumped, interrupted, kicked, insulted, stolen from, stared at, laughed at, left out, or sneezed on.
As parents, that gives us AMPLE opportunities to lead our kids through using our words to figure out what happened, who might have not made a wise choice and how to apologize. A really important part of this ceremony is for the offended party to acknowledge the apology and offer either a word or gesture (or both) to let the offender know that they are forgiven.
In this week’s story, imagine the shock and surprise of the crowd as they witnessed the main character being offered the gift of forgiveness (by Jesus himself!) BEFORE he even apologized for his wrongdoings!
Zacchaeus is familiar to many of us who grew up in the church. He is the “wee little man” that many of us sang about in Sunday school when we were children.
Jesus is in town, and by this time in His ministry he has accumulated quite a large following. Everyone wanted to see Jesus, hear His teaching, and experience His presence. Zacchaeus was no exception, but he was also not the tallest man in the crowd either. Zacchaeus gets an idea; he’ll climb up into a nearby tree and watch Jesus from above the crowd. I’m pretty certain that Zacchaeus never imagined what happened next.
Jesus walked over to the tree Zacchaeus was perched in, looked up at him, called him by name invited Himself over for dinner!
Shocking! Why? Because Zacchaeus was a tax collector, a Jew who worked for the Roman government. He had a reputation for stealing money from tax payers in order to make a better living for himself. He was seen by many as a sinner and the lowest of the low. Think the despicable Sheriff of Nottingham in the Robin Hood story.
Jesus saw Zacchaeus differently. Jesus saw his potential for good. Jesus told Zacchaeus that he was forgiven and healed a broken relationship allowing Zacchaeus to become a changed man. In fact, that one act of forgiveness and acceptance caused Zacchaeus not only to return what he’d stolen, but to repay the victims he had stolen from four times the amount he had taken. Amazing!
Our bottom line this week: “When people are forgiven, it can change them.”
When Jesus comes into our lives and forgives us of all we’ve done wrong, he also offers us freedom from the guilt and fear and loneliness from the consequences of sin. As we follow Him and forgive others as he forgives us, we have the power to offer them a glimpse of that same freedom.
Who knows what the simple words; “I forgive you” could do in a person’s life?
This week think about the relationships in your life. Is there anywhere you need to offer an invitation of God’s grace? Ask God to help give you the strength and courage to offer forgiveness.
