I never thought of it before how Jesus changed the heart of Zacchaeus, the tax collector from Jericho, and could it be that he belongs in the Advent story because of his changed spirit in giving? I recently received a birthday gift of a book by Max Lucado entitled, God Is With You Every Day. It was on the 13th day of December that I read this remarkable insight that Lucado has about a man who was basically stingy and knew how to take advantage of people every day.
Anything Max Lucado writes is worthy of reading. The devotion for December 13, was about the visit of Jesus to Jericho where Zacchaeus lived and worked. Zacchaeus, as you know, was short of stature and could not look over the heads of the people to see Jesus as he entered the city. You know the story of how Zacchaeus climbed up into the sycamore tree and climbed out on a limb to get a glimpse of our Lord. He never imagined that Jesus would take a good look at him. But we know that He did. "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."
Max Ludado describes Zacchaeus as "a con artist. He never met a person he could not cheat or saw a dollar he couldn't hustle." According to Luke, he was a "chief tax collector" (Luke 19:2).
Something happened when Jesus came into his life and went home with him for dinner. He was never the same again. "Look Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (v. 8, NIV).
Max Lucado wrote. "Grace walked in the front door, and selfishness scampered out the back. It changed his heart."
Lucado asks, "Is grace changing yours."
Anything Max Lucado writes is worthy of reading. The devotion for December 13, was about the visit of Jesus to Jericho where Zacchaeus lived and worked. Zacchaeus, as you know, was short of stature and could not look over the heads of the people to see Jesus as he entered the city. You know the story of how Zacchaeus climbed up into the sycamore tree and climbed out on a limb to get a glimpse of our Lord. He never imagined that Jesus would take a good look at him. But we know that He did. "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."
Max Ludado describes Zacchaeus as "a con artist. He never met a person he could not cheat or saw a dollar he couldn't hustle." According to Luke, he was a "chief tax collector" (Luke 19:2).
Something happened when Jesus came into his life and went home with him for dinner. He was never the same again. "Look Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (v. 8, NIV).
Max Lucado wrote. "Grace walked in the front door, and selfishness scampered out the back. It changed his heart."
Lucado asks, "Is grace changing yours."