Bible Society of South Africa
Hennie Symington

A journey of the soul – Day 4

Just browsing ...

Bible text(s)

Luke 19

Jesus and Zacchaeus

1Jesus went on into Jericho and was passing through. 2There was a chief tax collector there named Zacchaeus, who was rich. 3He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was a little man and could not see Jesus because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a sycomore tree to see Jesus, who was going to pass that way. 5When Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to Zacchaeus, “Hurry down, Zacchaeus, because I must stay in your house today.”

6Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed him with great joy.

Luke 19:1-6GNBOpen in Bible reader

The easiest way to get rid of an over eager shop assistant is to say, “I’m just browsing.” That means you are interested, but not ready to decide – “don’t push me”.

In the Bible, we meet a “potential buyer” like this. When a man called Zacchaeus heard that the preacher everyone was talking about was coming to Jericho, he also wanted to see him. So, he climbed in a tree to watch and listen to him from a distance. Little did he know …

The more we read this story, the more the short man in the fig tree reminds us of someone we know, until you realise, but he looks like me. At times, we also sit up in the tree watching the world go by. We do not get involved; we observe. We are intrigued, but prefer to keep our distance. If someone approaches us, we are quick to say, “No thanks, I’m just looking.”

Perhaps, the time is ripe for you to get involved, even if it takes a leap of faith to do so. Perhaps, it is time for you to stop looking for the “right place and the right time” to get involved, and just do it.

Zacchaeus climbed down from the tree and look what happened to him! Jesus changed is life in an instant. Instead of just browsing, Jesus taught him to see the world through new eyes.

Jesus is not on the way to your part of the woods; he is already there. He invites you to be a part of his kingdom, here and now. All you have to do is to get out of your hiding place.

Bible Society of South Africav.4.24.4
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