The Wee Little Man

Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a Sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. And as the Savior passed that way He looked up in the tree and He said, "Zacchaeus, you come down, for I’m going to your house today.

These are the words to a song about the treasured Bible story found in Luke 19:1-10. I have recently taught this lesson to my 2 - 3 year old class. For you who know the story, the exciting part isn’t just about Jesus going to a tax collector’s home. Starting with verse 5 in Luke 19, Let’s hear the rest of the story…..

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be a guest of a 'sinner.'" But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "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." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.

Zacchaeus is Jewish by birth, but considered a traitor because he and others like him chose to work for Rome as a tax collector. Not just working for Rome, but making themselves rich by cheating their fellow Jews.

I don’t know what it was that made Zacchaeus climb a tree……maybe just the wonder of a celebrity or just tired of being short, but he hung up his pride and he climbed a tree. Jesus saw something in him to want to go to his house. I love Zacchaeus’ response, his willingness to give back. One could say that being in the presence of Jesus most people would feel like they should give, but that is not so for the Rich Young Ruler found just a page before in Luke 18:18-30. Not everyone is compelled to give when they are in the presence of Jesus.

Some might say that they themselves are not rich, they can’t give back as much as Zacchaeus was able to give back. But 2 Corinthians 8:12 says this,

“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”

I like the way the way a Bible commentary explains this verse, it says “God accepts the will for the deed. He judges not according to what a man has the opportunity to do, but according to what he would do if he had the opportunity.” God judges the heart.

We don’t have to give such a large amount as Zacchaeus did; we just have to give in the same way as Zacchaeus did. Zacchaeus gave what he could when he had the opportunity – what are you going to give when you have the opportunity to give back for God’s kingdom? As you sit in the Lord’s presence, I hope you are compelled to give in the same way as Zacchaeus did.

The Rock Wall

We had our annual city festival. It is a small deal, but there are several things for the kids to do. It can get costly (it costs $2 just for 1 slide down the big slide). My 7 year old daughter and my 5 year old son decided they wanted to climb the rock wall.

I didn't take time to explain what my son was to expect and I regret it since he had never done it before. I guess I figured that the guys running it would and that he would climb up a little ways and be done.

















My daughter has done it before. She looked like a pro!














Anyway....back to my son. He kept going...and going..... I couldn't believe it! Right about there, however, he started crying. He was scared. I think that he didn't know he could come down and so he just kept climbing up.








One of the guys, quickly climbed up there and showed him how to get to the top, ring the buzzer, and helped him down. What an experience for my little guy!

Then my youngest, who is 4 years old, doesn't like big play areas with tunnels and big slides. However, he decided with his brother to go and run through one. He was having a great time until he made it to the top and realized he had to go down a tube slide. He REFUSED! After 5 minutes of crying, I had to have one of the girls in charge go get him and help him down. She just sat him in the slide and made him go down and he did!

It makes me think of the times that we get in a jam and we have to rely on God to help us out. Sometimes the first step is scary. The first leap off the wall is scary until you realize that something is holding you. Remember God is holding you in those tough situations. He never lets go!