“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay in your house today.” (Lk. 19:5).

Can a soul, find rest without Jesus? Can the sinner find peace without the grace of God through Jesus Christ? Modern man would argue for the affirmative, but deep within the recesses of his heart, the contrary screams for audience. His life is scattered. His mind is in constant torment, except for flashes of brilliance and celebrated accomplishments, power, and wealth that deliver momentary pleasure. Defiantly, he plows on with concealed agitation and torment. He seeks a savior, but unwisely designs and creates one for himself. His money deceives him, friends forsake him, power fails him, his acquisitions lose their luster, and the future presents him with a bleak painting he can’t hang in his Living room. Many crave his situation, ignorant of his disgust for life and the hollowness in his heart. Yet, his smile continues to deceive. His gusto mesmerizes the seeker of power, sex, and pleasure, until one day, the cracks in the mask begin to reveal the emptiness, and his life begins to unravel. Such was a man called Zacchaeus.

He was scorned by his own people despite his wealth. As chief tax collector, he had become notorious among them as betrayer and a sinner (Lk. 19:3). But on this day, something different attracted our friend Zacchaeus and he couldn’t resist chasing after his curiosity. He wanted to see Jesus. Having heard about the miracles of Jesus and His teachings with authority, Zacchaeus couldn’t hold back his heart’s yearning. Despite his handicap as a short man, he was determined to see Jesus, and so he ran ahead and climbed a Sycamore tree; hoping nobody would see him.

Jesus, however, stopped where he was, and called him by name; “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay in your house today.” (Lk. 19:5). He hurried down and gladly welcomed Jesus into his house (v.6). The crowd grumbled and sneered, but Zacchaeus showed genuine repentance by promising restitution (7-8). What a man!

            No soul genuinely receives the grace of God through Jesus and remains the same (2 Cor. 5:17). A transformation takes place and displaces the heart’s tendency towards wickedness. The very presence of Jesus in the life of a person inclines them towards conformity with His nature. Zacchaeus started the day a sinner, but found forgiveness and new life in Jesus. The world didn’t matter to him anymore. Money and possessions lost their appeal and grip over his heart. He easily gave them away in exchange for peace with God in Jesus (Rm. 5:1). To every renewed heart in the mercy and grace of God, heaven resounds with affirmation in Christ. Jesus therefore responded to Zacchaeus, “Today, salvation has come to this house” (9-10).

Like Zacchaeus, Jesus is seeking after the lost soul who seeks rest (Matt. 11:28). He knows the anxious moments and emotional struggles of everybody. He sees those who stand afar as if they don’t need Him, but are checking Him out anyway. He knows how careful they are, hoping, like Zacchaeus, that no one may see them. He smiles when people put on the appearance of “civility”, but are desperately crying for redemption. He pities those who fill church pews every Sunday, but snubs “this born again nonsense.” Jude categorizes them into three groups – those who need mercy because they doubt and are hesitant, those who are almost tipping over into hell fire and need to be “snatched” from it, and those needing “mercy, mixed with fear,” because they are corrupted by false teachers (Jude 1:22-23).

These are the people you and I have been commissioned by Jesus to reach out to and invite them to come to Him (Matt. 28: 19-20). They are in our homes, offices, markets, favorite stores, neighborhood, towns, regions and countries. What we need is a heart for their souls, wisdom and direction from God, and boldness to evangelize them in love. The rest is the work of the Holy Spirit.

A Zacchaeus is perched in the tree near you. Will you ask the Lord of the harvest to give you sensitive eyes to see them, and the boldness to engage them in a healthy conversation that could lead to their salvation?