It used to bother me. But not anymore. I mean my small stature and height. In my whole school days, I have always been the smallest and the shortest in my class. Even to this day, I always have problems buying my clothes. Those in the boys’ department are too small for me and those at the men’s are too big. I always end in an alteration shop.
You might be interested to know that there was a fellow mentioned in Scriptures that fit my physical description. His name was Zacchaeus. (Luke 19: 1-10).
According to Luke, one day, Zacchaeus heard that a man, named Jesus was coming to town. Zacchaeus heard that this man was famous and that the whole town was preparing for his coming.
Zacchaeus was not going to miss the opportunity to have a glimpse of this famous man.
Afraid of being buried in a crowd, Zacchaeus thought to himself, “I am going to climb a tree so I could have a clear view of this man, Jesus.”
As soon as he learned about Jesus’ parade route, he survived the area and he saw a sycamore tree there.
So, when Jesus came to town, before the parade started, he went ahead of the crowd and climbed on a Sycamore tree.
When Jesus went by, Jesus saw Zacchaeus on the top of the tree.
When Jesus saw Zacchaeus, “Zacchaeus, come down. I would like to have lunch with you in your house.” Jesus told Zacchaeus.
“Heck! How did this guy, Jesus, know that I am on the top of the tree? And how did He know my name? Zacchaeus asked himself.
“Now, my wife is going to kill me for inviting someone for lunch without telling her ahead of time.” Zacchaeus knew his wife and he almost fainted.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector. He was a crook. He collected from the people more than the Roman tax law required.
What he collected beyond the required amounts, he pocketed them. His tax collecting job made Zacchaeus a very rich man.
The villagers hated Zacchaeus. They considered him a traitor to his country. They considered him an extortionist and a cheat.
In the eyes of the villagers, Zacchaeus was a sinner. He was set in his ways. He was beyond repair.
The villagers considered Zacchaeus a damaged good. They did not believe that he could change.
But Zacchaeus’ life was completely changed after Jesus had lunch with Zacchaeus.
The villagers, however, were offended when they saw Jesus paid attention to Zacchaeus, the crook.
“Jesus, you do not know Zacchaeus like we do.” They thought of telling Jesus. “You do not know how Zacchaeus has betrayed us. He cheated us. He had stolen from us over and over again.” They wanted to tell Jesus. But they did not have the courage to do so.
They grumbled, because the villagers did not know grace. Grace is what Jesus was offering to Zacchaeus.
It is grace that enables a person to start all over again. It was grace working in Zacchaeus that impelled Zacchaeus to pay back anyone in his life that he had cheated.
Probably, everyone in town was a victim of Zacchaeus’ tax scam.
That was in Zacchaeus’ past. When he encountered Jesus, he returned all he had stolen – plus interest.
Zacchaeus had an ugly past. His deeds were ugly. But Jesus changed his life.
What happened to Zacchaeus and to thousand others like him, tells us that no one is beyond God’s love and mercy.
It tells us that God never writes anyone off. The reality is, or the truth is, that God loves to forgive.
God loves to extend mercy. God loves to give a second change, a third chance, a fourth change and more, if needed.
No one needs to feel defined by his or her own past. As long as you are alive, you have hope that you can change, like Zacchaeus did.
Let grace find you so you can get out from your hiding places – whatever they are. Let God find you.
All you need to do, is reach out to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Just as Jesus did two thousand years ago in the street of Jericho, He is doing it in your own street.
Jesus is offering to all of us what He offered to Zacchaeus.
Grace is what Jesus is offering us.
But we must be always mindful that what Jesus is offering us, we in turn, must offer it to one another.
Since God never writes anyone off, neither can we.
Through the power of grace, there is no one who is unable to change.
Our lives proved that!