URC Daily Devotion Thursday 20 March 2025
St Luke 19: 1 – 10
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 sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’
Reflection
I can’t be the only one who, on reading various narratives in the Bible, would love to know what happened next – and this is one of those stories. Here we have Zacchaeus, a small man, but one known to many as a lackey of the occupying forces, who wasn’t slow to make a bit of profit on the side. He’s interested enough in Jesus to put aside his dignity, and climb a tree. If that hadn’t been sufficient to get him noticed, Jesus spots him, looks up and invites himself to dinner.
As usual, complaints are made about Jesus’ decision about who to keep company with, but for Zacchaeus the encounter is life changing, and he makes extravagant promises about giving away his possessions, and repaying those whom he has cheated. Clearly Jesus sees a sincerity in Zacchaeus, and declares that salvation has come to the house.
But like so many other gospel characters, we hear no more of Zacchaeus. I really want to know whether he really give away half of his possessions? And if so, how did he have enough left to repay fourfold what he had obtained by extortion? In my understanding of economics, it simply doesn’t add up.
The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. Perhaps God’s maths isn’t like our maths either, and there’s a challenge to us all to reflect God’s generosity in our own lives.
Prayer
Generous God,
help us to acknowledge you in the ways in which we deal with our possessions and money.
Give us wisdom in our stewardship, but also the faith to be extravagant in our giving,
recognising the extravagance of your love for us.
Amen.