Luke 19:7-10

Luke 19:7-10

And after all saw this, they were murmuring, saying that He went in to lodge among a sinful man.  And after Zacchaeus stood, he said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, I give half of my things that I possess to the poor.  And if I extorted someone I give fourfold to them.”  And Jesus said to him that this day salvation came to this house – as far as this one is a Son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the one who is lost.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

People grumble.  They can only judge Zacchaeus based on the outside.  They see a man who is in league with the Romans, collecting money for them, extorting more money for himself, and who seems to have little religious connection at all.  They judge and condemn.  This is the fate of all the people who turn to Christ.  Every one of us have faults and flaws for others to criticize.  Every one of us has doubters who will not be able to see what God is doing on the inside because they can only see the outside.

What faults have people focused upon with you as you have grown in Christ?  What murmuring have you heard about your walk towards God?

Second Thought:

I can’t help but wonder just how much of the murmuring Zacchaeus heard.  How much of his offer was motivated by the murmuring he heard?  Now, I’m not trying to cheapen Zacchaeus’ gift.  He does the right thing.  He offers to repay people.  He offers to give to the needy.  Regardless of the motivation, the action is good!  In fact, that’s more to the point that I want to make.  I wonder how much of the murmuring was used by God to put Zacchaeus in the right frame of reference.  God is capable of using both the good and the bad to bring about His will.  Zacchaeus’ response may well be both proof of his sincerity as well as proof of God’s dominion over the world.

When has God been able to use the murmuring around you to inspire goodness within you?  How does this show God’s greatness?

Third Thought:

I think it is closing comments like Jesus makes in this section that truly inspire me to be confident in my belief in God.  After all, comments like this truly show us how God is different than us.  After all, how many of us naturally look for the lost?  How many of us passionately give up our own desires to seek out the ones around us who have nothing to give?  Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  That’s what makes Him different.  That’s what makes Him holy.  That’s what He can instill within us.

Where do you find Christ at work in calling you to seek and save the lost?  Who are the lost to whom you are called?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 19:11-14