Thoughts for another day

March 20, 2013.

Today's verse: 2 Cor. 7:10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Picture Zacchaeus, chief of the tax collectors, he’s climbed a sycamore tree and is waiting for Jesus.  You know what, he’s fed up of life; he’s been an awful man; his greed and contempt of people have led him to insane hatred for them.  He detests that people reciprocate the revulsion he has for them.  Come on, he seems to tell them in his mind, have some respect for me, after all, I’m a big official of the regime and if you don’t change your ways, I’ll cause you much harm, both financially and in your social standing.  But the more he threatens them, the more they treat him as garbage.

Fed up with their insults and their carcinogenic hatred for him, he opens up a little crack in his mind to do something about it; the question is how?  Then he hears of this Man: holy, wonder-Worker; they even call Him the promised Messiah; and he hears something pleasing to his ears: Jesus has no qualms mingling with sinners, particularly tax collectors and other riff-raff who’re way down in the societal pecking order.  His eyes widen, hope soars in his mind…can I meet Him?  His mind rubbishes the thought…then again his squinty eyes ponder, maybe, I can meet Him.  Finally, he tells himself, so what if I don’t achieve anything, atleast I’ll learn who the Man is.  He plans to meet Him, but, there’s one big hurdle:  if the Jews learn of his intention, they’d laugh him to scorn, maybe even hurt him.  But by now, his desire to meet Christ is too intense to make him veer from his plan and in his mind he says, ‘Anyway I’m short.  So I’ll need to climb a tree and nestled in its branches, hidden from all, I’ll see him.’  Early in the morning, he’s there at the spot, waiting for Jesus. 

There’s a burst of noise and he senses them coming.  He peers to see Jesus and instantly his whole being sizzles at the sight of the Lord.  He’s truly enamored and gripped by the Spirit and something inexplicable starts happening in his heart.  Then suddenly Jesus stops under the tree; he tries to slink into himself, become invisible; but who can hide from the Master’s eyes?  The Master looks up, their eyes meet; and He says, ‘Zacchaeus come down, for today, I must stay at your house!’  No request this, but a command.  A command Zacchaeus immediately obeys even as the filth in his heart is flushed away.  He comes down a lighter man, his spirit experiences heaven and in that moment he does a 180^o turn.  Jesus smiles and welcomes him as he kneels at His feet.  Godly sorrow engulfs Zacchaeus and he declares, ‘See Lord, half my possessions, I’ll give to the poor; and if I’ve defrauded anyone of anything, I’ll pay back four times as much,’ heaven’s doors open for this pudgy little man. 

Time to ponder my friend; is my repentance Zacchaeus-like, or is it just a declaration of my mouth and not a heart thing?  Our relationship with God depends on this answer.