JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the searching. heart of Zacchaeus.

In Luke 19, we find this wealthy tax collector climbing a tree to see Jesus. The Bible says that he wanted to see who Jesus was. 

Jesus noticed him and invited himself to Zacchaeus’s house. Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus gladly. 

The encounter changed his life. He said to Jesus, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

In seeing Jesus, Zacchaeus saw the folly of his greed, and saw how his life could be different by being more generous. His words to Jesus reflected his commitment to change course. Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house.”

Focusing on the generosity of God’s grace gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com