Nick Fawcett (devotional and reflective writer)

Few stories from the Gospels have quite captured the imagination of people as that of Zacchaeus. I guess the image of this little man so desperate to see Jesus that he scrambles up a tree is such a vivid one that few can fail to be touched by it. But that’s not the only memorable image evoked by this tale. Equally powerful is that of Zacchaeus after he meets Jesus and, filled with remorse for his past life, he resolves not just to repay those he has cheated but – as the following meditation from No Ordinary Man 1 reminds us – to do so four times over, as well as to give half his possessions to the poor. Has there ever been a more whole-hearted response to an encounter with Jesus? And what sort of response do offer in turn?

Read
He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. Luke 19:1-4

The meditation of Zacchaeus
I only wanted to see him, that’s all,
find out what all the fuss was about.
I’d no intention of getting involved, absolutely none.
It was the last thing I wanted, the last thing I expected.
I was simply curious, you’ll understand that, surely?
I’d heard so much about him –
the man who could perform miracles, forgive sins, change lives.
He was the talk of the town;
we all wanted to see him, everyone.
But that was the trouble,
the streets were packed,
crowds ten, fifteen deep,
and I knew straightaway I’d no chance of getting close,
not even, given my size, so much as a look in.
It was the same old story: poor old Zacchaeus,
the butt of so many jokes over the years,
once again missing out when the competition started.
I’d grown used to it, even immune,
but strangely this time it hurt as never before;
to be denied the opportunity of a little colour in the drabness of my life –
all because God had been sparing with the inches.
It seemed so unfair,
the final nail in the coffin,
and I felt like lifting a fist to heaven and cursing my creator.
But then a brainwave.
Why not climb a tree, I thought?
And brilliant – a grandstand view!
There he was, just below me, as clear as day!
Well, you can imagine, I was well pleased.
It was to be my claim to fame;
the proud boast that at last would make men look up to me –
I’d seen Jesus.
Only then he spotted me.
I hadn’t bargained on that.
I’d expected him simply to walk on by.
Maybe a smile, even a wave, but no more,
but he stopped and smiled and spoke to me.
I was dumbfounded,
unable to take in for a moment what he was saying,
And when it finally registered I could barely believe it.
He wanted to visit my home,
share a meal with me, Zacchaeus!
A bit of a cheek really, inviting himself like that,
yet I could hardly say no, could I, not with all the crowd watching?
They weren’t best pleased, I can tell you,
always considered me a mean old so and so,
a tight-fisted, two-faced swindler,
and let’s face it, I was.
But this was my chance to show them
I could push the boat out once in a while,
so I hurried down to welcome him.
The trouble was, one thing led to another,
and before I knew it I was letting my heart rule my head,
paying back all those I’d defrauded, four times over,
giving away half my possessions to the poor.
A moment’s madness?
Well perhaps, but that was the effect Jesus had on you.
He made you want to be different, to be like him.
I’ve regretted my impulsiveness once or twice since then,
I won’t pretend otherwise,
yet I wouldn’t change anything given my time again,
for though I’m poorer materially now,
I feel richer than I ever dreamt I could be.

Prayer
Living God,
we claim that we want to know you better,
but in reality much of the time we are half-hearted in our efforts.
We profess discipleship but keep you safely at a distance.
We speak of commitment but hold back when challenged.
We are ready to give but not to give too much.
Yet you ask us to love you not just a little
but with all our heart and soul and mind.
Break through into our grudging spirits
and help us to meet with Jesus
who, in asking for our all, gives so much more back in return.
Amen.