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| Photo source: TruthBook.com |
I have always prayed that my three little ones would grow to be Mighty Oaks--to be firmly established and rooted in the truth, and to be strong in their faith and impactful in God's Kingdom. It came to me one day, after many months of praying this prayer, that perhaps they could also be used as a vantage point from which to better see Christ. In other words, perhaps by seeing their life, others would be able to see the love and service of Christ, sort of like the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbed to better see Jesus among the crowd.
And like all thoughts, this led me to another: what does living in the sycamore tree look like in my life?
Well, before we wrestle with that question, let's re-familiarize ourselves with Zacchaeus's story from Luke 19:1-10...
"He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.' So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, 'He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.' And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.'"
In this passage, we see the rich tax collector, Zacchaeus; historical sources tell us that tax collectors at this time were despised by the Jewish people because they worked with the occupying Romans and cheated and stole money from their fellow Jewish people. Perhaps this is why the crowd was pressing in around him and not allowing him to see. The passage also tells us that Zacchaeus was "small in stature" so for these reasons, he climbed the sycamore tree to better see Christ who was about to pass that way.
We must realize, however, that Zacchaeus did not climb the sycamore tree to get Jesus's attention or to jockey himself into a better position to be favored by Christ. The Scriptures are clear that we do not do the work of seeking out God--He comes for us. Even the last verse of today's passage speaks to this: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Jesus knew Zacchaeus was in Jericho that day and He already knew Zaccheaus intimately (see Psalm 139). Truly, it was Jesus who sought out Zacchaeus that day.
However, we must understand that Zacchaeus climbed the tree to better see Christ over the crowd, and that we can do this, too. We can live in such a way to position ourselves to better see Jesus work and move in our lives, in our churches, and in our nation...and we must!
How can we do this? Well, I don't claim to have all the answers, but a few spring to mind. We can read God's Word daily, to let it do what it alone can do--inform us about who we are and who God is, convict us of sin, instruct us on how to live godly lives, and springboard us to praise and worship God alone. We can also surround ourselves with other Christ-followers who will come along side us and encourage us as they strive to live for Christ, too. This also involves actively participating in our local church. We must also confess the sin and weights that so easily hinder and entangle us, so we can "run the race" given to us by the Lord (see Hebrews 12:1-2). We can look and listen for ways God is teaching us about Himself by keeping a gratitude journal or a nature journal (springtime is a perfect time for seeing His many blessings in the natural world!). Oh what treasures God will show us when we take the time to slow down and notice just the simple things around us, day-to-day!
And what is the result of this sycamore-tree living? Well, for Zacchaeus, climbing into that sycamore tree meant a rich encounter with the Lord Jesus. It meant fellowship with Jesus over a shared meal and it would lead to salvation, transforming his entire life, starting with his wallet. It would also mean righting the wrongs done to others and beginning a life of service.
So what about you, dear friend? Do you live in such a way as to best see where Christ is passing through in your life? Do you earnestly look for Him in your home, neighborhood, workplace, and in your relationships? Are you willing to ignore the judging crowd--not caring what they think of you--and willing to look foolish, like a grown man climbing a tree? Oh, let us ALL accept this invitation to climb up the sycamore tree in our lives--clamoring to find all the ways we can better see Christ, unimpeded, so we can hear and respond to Him as we calls out our names! I trust that our hearts, households, churches, and nation will be forever changed if we do!!
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