My mother, who was small in stature, used to always tell us that good things come in small packages. In the Gospel today, we hear that good things come to small packages. Zacchaeus was so short, he had to climb a tree to see Jesus, but he was willing to do whatever it took to see Him. We should also have that same energetic dedication to see Jesus. As a tax collector, Zacchaeus was not the most welcome citizen, but Jesus, upon seeing him in the tree, immediately invites him to come down so He can visit him at his house. This invitation changed Zacchaeus in so many ways.
Through this invitation, Zacchaeus found reconciliation and peace. Jesus saw the person not the sin and opened his heart in love. Zacchaeus is comforted by the fact that Jesus wishes to stay with him, but he also recognizes the challenge in this meeting. Now, at the invitation of Jesus, Zacchaeus goes above and beyond his small stature and grows in the heights of compassion, restoration and grace. He offers half of his possessions for the poor and promises to repay anyone he defrauded four times over. A sinner leaves a tree at the invitation of Jesus and becomes a follower. Zacchaeus is now a place where God will dwell.
This beautiful parable reminds us of so much. Though we are a small part of God’s plan, each and every one of us is essential to that plan. Will we open our heart to Jesus that he might stay within us and work through us? Will we allow Jesus to help us grow in stature? Will we give sacrificially as Zacchaeus did? Lynn Ahrens once wrote these lyrics, “Come down from the tree.
Just open your arms and trust. You know in your heart that one of these days you must.” Like Zacchaeus, we need to come down from that tree. Jesus intends to stay with us. We have work to do.