Bible Society of South Africa
Hennie Symington

A journey of the soul – Day 4

Just browsing ...

Se(di)ngolwa (t)sa Bibele

LUKA 19

Jesu le Sakiya

1Jesu a fihla a phunyeletsa motse wa Jeriko. 2Ho ne ho ena le monna ya bitswang Sakiya, eo e neng e le hlooho ya balekgetho, e bile e le morui. 3A rata ho bona hore na Jesu ke mang, empa a sitwa ka baka la letshwele, hobane o ne a le mokgutshwanyane. 4A mathela pele, a hlwella sefateng sa feiye e hlaha, hore a tle a mmone, kaha a ne a tla feta ka tsela eo.

5Ha Jesu a fihla sebakeng seo, a lelalla sefateng, a re ho yena: “Sakiya, phakisa o theohe, hobane eka kgona ke hlole tlung ya hao kajeno.” 6A phakisa a theoha, mme a mo amohela ka thabo.

LUKA 19:1-6SSO89SOBula ka mmadi wa Bibele

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.4.25.3
RE FUMANE HO