Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1-10

          Zacchaeus (zah-kay-us)

          He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

         I love it when I hear someone, usually in an effort to condemn the gay community, speak of "the gay lifestyle". Like being gay is a choice and it is born of anonymous sex, constant orgies and drugs. I don't even find it funny. I am sad that there are such incredibly stupid people out there.  I am sure all those things go on in the straight community, why wouldn't it occur in the gay community? Does that define being heterosexual? Is being straight a lifestyle too?

        These judgements that people make about people, communities, races and nationalities are so fraught with error. I suppose they appeal to a desire of humans to categories things, people into neat holes so we can all be organized and happy. But it just isn't correct in any way.

         In this reading we hear about Zacchaeus, a wealthy man, a tax collector. For one thing, isn't it telling that Jesus looks up to him and calls him down? Zacchaeus did not call out to Jesus after all. Jesus calls this 'sinner' down and intends to spend the day with him. In the course of the visit, Zacchaeus gets to explain himself. He is in fact rich but that's the result of his job. Zacchaeus points out that if he has defrauded anyone, he will repay him four fold. Sounds like an honest man to me. As a side bar, I think that Zacchaeus realized that all is money did not bring real happiness, otherwise he would not have been climbing trees to see the man with all the answers, Jesus. 

           After their visit, I am sure there are people that labeled both of them. Zacchaeus did not explain himself to everyone so only Jesus knows the truth about his wealth. To outsiders, Zacchaeus is still a crook, a sinner. Not only that, Jesus now is tainted in some eyes for his relationship to Zacchaeus.  And so it goes.

           It is important to be justified in God's eyes but no one else's. People will always judge it seems. You can never explain to everyone what's in your heart nor should you have to. 

          I will only add that when someone's judgements about me or my people affect our rights as humans, I will fight like a madman. A justified fighter is what the Old testament is filled with. I am a reluctant fighter, but fight I will if called to do so against ignorance and for human rights.