The story of Zacchaeus is one that makes me laugh.  I think it’s because I put some cartoon music to his actions and in my mind’s eye, I paint a picture using the artistry of cartoonists of the 1950’s like Hanna & Barbera.  Now, of course you can insert whatever cartoonist you’d insert as your favorite.  Anyway, poor Zacchaeus, he was too short to see Jesus as he walked down the street.  He was probably standing on his tippy toes, trying to catch a glimpse of this man he had heard so much about, but it wasn’t until he climbed a tree that he could finally see Jesus.

Luke 19:1-5 tells of this story, it reads “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through town.  A man there named Zacchaeus, a ruler among tax collectors, was rich.  He was trying to see who Jesus was, but, being a short man, he couldn’t because of the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.”

As followers of Jesus, we are a lot like that little tax collector.  We are constantly trying to catch a peek of God, regularly trying to reach that mark but falling just a little short, standing on our “toes” only to not quite make it.  We can become disappointed and discouraged, but I say there is a way.

Have you considered that we can have a conversation with God whenever we want or need?  We can seek God’s wisdom through His words by picking up the bible, and we no more have to turn to our neighbor to see and have tangible evidence of God’s love and grace.

Let me share a quick story.  I have a co-worker who is consistently positive and without fail, supportive, forgiving and helpful.  Even on some of my worst days, they are there with a positive word and helping hand.  You see, without saying it, my co-worker is exemplifying what Jesus taught and the exact reason Zacchaeus wanted to climb the tree to see Jesus.  I wonder how we can make it so that folks don’t need to climb a tree when they’re near us in order to catch a glimpse of Him.

Prayer for today “God, help me to lose myself and be more in the image of Jesus today and every day.  Amen”