Zaccheus The Tax Collector.

Zaccheus The Tax Collector

It all began just like any other day, organising the staff, making sure that all my household duties had been carried out. Once this was all done it would be time to have another day out and about collecting taxes for the Romans. Even although I was working for people who had invaded the country and now controlled with an iron fist, it was a good job, I enjoyed doing it. it did not matter that I was unpopular with my fellow Jews. I, in fact, lived a much more comfortable existence than the majority of them. I set my own earnings. I did this by adding my percentage over and above the taxes I was collecting, with this on top of what the Romans paid me meant that I could afford to live in style.

To all intents and purposes, this was then just another day.

It did not continue like every other day, some of the staff came asking for some time off. Some man by the name of Jesus was to be in town that day and they wanted to go and see him, as most of the population seemed to be doing. Seemed that the whole of Jericho had one thing in mind that day, to see this man. It seemed pointless to refuse them permission, how could they collect taxes if everybody was out lining the streets.

I had heard of this man, Jesus. There had been all kinds of rumours about him and the things he could supposedly do. The stories were probably exaggerated beyond all reality. in my opinion, he was nothing more than another, "jumped prophet." So it was agreed that the could have the time off and they agreed to make sure the time was made up.

"Would I like to join them?" "Not me," I said, "that would not put money in my pocket," standing watching a man walk past along the street with his bunch of rabble followers. So off they went and I made plans for the rest of my day.

What seemed like no time later I heard the commotion out in the street, a large group of people making their way down the main street of Jericho. There was a great deal of laughter and cheering, curiosity was beginning to get the better of me. Maybe I could just go and have a quick look at what it was all about. 

The difficulty was that as I arrived at the street I was unable to see anything at all. The trouble is my hip bones are far to close to my ankles, even standing on tiptoes I could see not a thing. I ran on ahead thinking it might be possible to find a spot where I could see without being seen. It was then that I spotted the fig tree. I could see that it was one with some low branches so I would be able to climb into the higher branches. Nobody would spot me among the foliage of the tree. How would I feel if anybody did see me? Me, the tax collector, sitting up in a tree, not the best way to keep my standing and status.  I was soon up on a branch and fairly well hidden.

I waited and very soon the crowd drew near, the noise if anything even louder than before. Then I saw him, the man Jesus, he looked just like any other Jew that could be seen walking the streets of Jericho any day of the week. Can you imagine how I felt when he stopped right under the tree I was sitting in? When he looked up I just so wished that I had stayed at home this had not been a good idea. Why was he looking at me?

What must all these people be thinking as they saw me? Look at Zacchaeus, I could hear them say as they pointed at me. As I said I am a small man but at that moment I just so wished I was so much smaller. Here was The Tax Collector of Jericho, sitting in a tree. I could feel my embarrassment and be sure it was obvious to everybody.

I thought I heard my name being spoken, it was he who was speaking to me. How did he know my name? I heard again, and this time I heard clearly, he was using my name, he said, "Zacchaeus come down immediately. Today I must stay at your house."

So I climbed down. For some strange and unexplainable reason, I was happy that this man wanted to come to my home. It was possible that for a moment it went over my mind that his presence might give me an air of respectability? I know not why but I was happy to have him as my guest.

What I was not at all happy about were the many comments I could hear all around me being made by the crowds of people around. I heard some call me a sinner others a cheat.  I did not feel at all happy with these names I was being called. To know that that was how they all saw me was one thing but to actually hear the words being spoken aloud was another thing altogether. For some reason, it was even worse that they were saying this about me in front of this man, calling me a robber. This man had made me feel good and now people were making look like something I did not like.

When we eventually arrived back at my home I was pleased to get inside away from all the chatter and pointing fingers. Now indoors I could be myself the real me. Then I looked at him and became aware that he was, in turn, looking at me and that he could most certainly see the real me. What had been said about me by the people was the real me. I felt a deep sense of shame and was very close to the point of tears. As I looked, what I saw was nothing short of compassion, caring and I could even feel a sense of love. He saw me as I was and he accepted me as I was.

With no prompting from anybody I heard myself promising to make amends for all my past mistakes. Not just giving back what I had stolen in the past, but I heard myself promising to give four times as much again. Saying it brought with it a real sense of a heavy weight being lifted from my shoulders. 

For the first time in years, I felt free. I felt clean. I felt like I had never felt for a very long time.

He turned back to face those pushing and gathering at my front door and said, "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 to save what was lost."

How true his words were. I was indeed a new man, a different person. I was indeed found. I had found myself, the real person had been lost in a world of greed.

I had lost the meaning of life Once again I could hold my head high and face the world. I was aware it would not be easy, there would always be those who would never forgive me There would always be those who would only see the tax collector. The fingers would still be pointed in my direction by some. The important thing was I had been forgiven, and I had learned to forgive myself.

Later that evening I was so happy that I had climbed that tree. I had heard healing words spoken to me. When such words come our way we must be ready to hear them, but more importantly ready to forgive others and forgive ourselves, which is never easy to do.