Devotion:
Read Luke 19:1-9.
If you grew up in church, you likely sang about Zacchaeus (“and a wee little man was he…”). His story is a wonderful one of a lost person being found. Tax collectors extorted as much money as they could from their fellow Jewish inhabitants of Palestine and sent the amount of the actual required tax to the emperor, keeping the difference for themselves and their superiors. As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus would have received a cut from all the tax collectors working for him, and Jericho was a wealthy town. No wonder he was wealthy!
Zacchaeus was likely lonely, since tax collectors were despised and shunned by the people. He may have felt an emptiness that could not be filled by gaining more and more wealth. Perhaps it was just curiosity, but it was more likely a hunger to be accepted and loved by this wandering rabbi named Jesus that drove Zacchaeus to climb a tree in order to see Jesus. And when he received Jesus’ salvation, Zacchaeus was overwhelmed with gratitude. Giving half to the poor went way beyond the tithe, and giving four-fold to any he had cheated was twice what the law required. Zacchaeus teaches all of us to give with gratitude for our own salvation and God’s gift of grace to us.
Personal Worship Option:
Reflect today on the spirit with which you give to others. Is it in a spirit of gratitude for God’s blessings to you, or is there a hint of begrudging, a sense of duty, or even sacrifice? Those are human tendencies that we must resist. Be thankful for and pray for a joyous spirit of generosity that comes from gratitude.
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