zacchaeus

read luke 19:1-10

it's interesting to note the three different types of characters in this story. there's Jesus, zacchaeus, and the crowd of people, and the way the each act is entirely different from the other. and it makes me wonder which one i am in the story. do you ever do that, wonder which character you are in a biblical story?

as i'm reading and reflecting on the story and i realize that i'm not Jesus or zacchaeus. instead, i'm the crowd of people. yuck! that's not the role i wanted; yet, it's the role i most identify with.

i see myself as someone who is willing to judge others just to make myself look better. and that's exactly what the crowd did to zacchaeus. they saw him as a tax collector and nothing better. however, zacchaeus saw himself as something and someone more, someone who was able to make a change for the better.

and just like zacchaeus, we're able to see ourselves as something more and make a change for the better. it couldn't have been easy for zacchaeus to do this, and it's certainly not going to be easy for us.

but if zacchaeus can find it deep within himself to pay back all his debts, four times over....
can't i find it within myself to not judge?

and that's when i need to decide to make a chance and figure out who's voice is going to be the louder one in my head...

the voice of the crowd?

or the voice of God?