To Get or to Give

During Jesus' ministry the crowds around Him were even greater than football fans around Peyton Manning...and that's a lot of people!

Jesus was coming to his town and there was a short man named Zaccheus who was determined to see Him; so he climbed a tree to get a better look. (Not every day does the richest and most despised man in town climb a tree to do anything, much less to see someone like Jesus!) Of course, Jesus saw him and knew he was searching - looking for meaning - something that money and power just can't bring. So, Jesus walked over to the tree, looked up and asked ole' Zach if He could come to his house for lunch. Can you imagine how surprised he was?

The crowds were appalled, because Zach was such a well-known and hated man. They considered him to be evil and rich from the money they worked hard to earn. Yet, Jesus had other plans and meeting Jesus changed Zach's life forever. He not only recognized that Jesus was the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, but he knew he needed to make restitution and paid back all those he had defrauded and even gave money to the poor. What a change! He went from a desire to get, to a desire to give.

Jesus told the crowd that He had come to seek and save those who were spiritually lost. Zaccheus was definitely spiritually lost. That's mighty good news for those of you who feel far from God, for whom money or power has left you feeling empty and alone. Jesus came for people like Zach. And He came for people like you and like me. Invite Him in and you, too, will discover the true meaning of life.

Still hungry?  Ezekiel 34:12, John 3:17