Zacchaeus Climbs a Tree

Jericho was a busy city of palm trees, not far from the Jordan River. One day Jesus was passing through on his way to Jerusalem, and crowds lined the street.

A man named Zacchaeus lived there. He was the chief tax collector, and he was rich. In those days tax collectors gathered money for the Roman rulers, and many of them took extra for themselves. So people didn't like them, and they thought of Zacchaeus as a sinner.

Zacchaeus wanted to see who this Jesus was. But he was a short man, and the crowd blocked his view. Nobody was going to make room for him!

So he ran on ahead and climbed a sycamore fig, a wide tree with low branches, beside the road where Jesus would pass.

When Jesus reached the spot, he stopped and looked up. He called Zacchaeus by name and told him to hurry down, because today Jesus was coming to his home.

Zacchaeus nearly tumbled out of the tree, he was so glad! He welcomed Jesus with joy.

But the people grumbled. Why would Jesus visit the home of a sinner?

Then Zacchaeus stood up and made Jesus a promise. He would give half of everything he owned to the poor. And if he had cheated anyone, he would pay that person back four times over.

Jesus was glad. He said that God's saving love had come into that home that very day, because Zacchaeus too belonged to Abraham's family, God's people. And Jesus said this is why he came: to go looking for people who are lost and bring them home to God.

Jesus didn't wait for Zacchaeus to become good before he loved him. He loved him first, and his love changed Zacchaeus' heart. Jesus does the same for us. When we've done wrong, he calls us by name, and he helps us make things right.