Chara-Joy 🌸

Luke 19:1-10; John 3:1, 2

We tend to lose our self worth due to what we have done or been through. It follows then that we think others (who haven’t been through similar experiences) are more valued, more accepted and more loved than we are. We might have experienced rejection from our loved ones, and consequently translated that rejection as God’s disapproval of us. 

This is how Zacchaeus felt. As a tax collector and considered a sinner by the society in which he lived, he was neither loved or accepted by society. He couldn’t relate with ‘them’ because of the stigma. When Jesus was passing by, he felt he was not worthy of him as others were. He felt he will not be accepted in that circle as others were. He was curios just to see and to know how Jesus looked like; not with the intention of going to Him like Nicodemus, but having laid eyes on Jesus, to return to his own ‘place’.

But the shocking part is, when Jesus got to where he was, He (Jesus) stood still, lifted up His eyes and called him by name. He cancelled his agenda and decided to spend time with Zacchaeus. What do you make of this? The person the world had rejected because he was a ‘sinner’ and would not even chat with, had an audience with Christ, who subsequently went to his house and dined with him. That is how valuable you are to Christ. Today, wherever you are in life, he is calling you and saying that you matter. You are the reason why he came. For he said ‘the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost’. Do not stay away because you are lost or do not feel like the ‘church’ people. You are the one that Christ wants to spend time with. Zacchaeus was so happy that he repented of all his sins, causing Jesus to remark ‘today salvation has come to this house’.

How did salvation come? By a rejected person getting to know how valuable he was to God, letting go of everything, and allowing God into his heart to love him with the love that he had always had for him before the foundation of the world. That is how he sees you – very, very valuable.

Let’s pray

Father, thank you that you love me. Please take my heart and make it your home. Wash my sins away by the blood Jesus and fill me with your Spirit so that I can serve you.

Amen