Emptiness / Zacchaeus

 EMPTY?

Have you stopped to think about how many people are living on empty these days? I spent a little time with one of them this morning named Zacchaeus. Contrary to his cute wee little man Sunday School image, Zacchaeus was a white-collar thief. Think mob boss. Think Bernie Madoff. The kind of guy who trafficked in extortion, threats and corruption. And wow, was he rich.

You would think he was happy, right? No. No amount of money can fill the God-shaped hole in a human heart. No achievements can give inner peace and lasting joy. He was socially and spiritually starving. His tank was running on “E”. We all are created by God, for God, to know God. We too can symbolically climb up trees chasing the wrong win. 

No one gave a rip about Zacchaeus except Jesus, and Jesus’ simple love and offer of friendship wrecked him.

A few years ago, there was a reality show on TV called Dog Whisperer. It was about a dog behavior specialist named Cesar Millan. He had the uncanny ability to walk into any room and meet any dog no matter how savage and immediately know how to calm and tame the dog. Cesar was the star of the show, but the key question was not what did Cesar see when he walked into the room, but what did the dog see? Whatever the dogs saw, the dogs always felt safe, the dogs would relax and would listen. Week after week this happened.

Everyday Zacchaeus saw Judgement, Resentment, Contempt, and Anger from people. Everyone hated Zacchaeus except Jesus. I wonder what he saw in Jesus that day that changed his life and eternity? Whatever it was caused Zacchaeus to relax and listen. In Scripture, rejects, misfits and outcasts were often the most attracted to Jesus. The religious elites often resented him the most.

How do we look at others? How do others look at us? The truth is we will never set our eyes on a human being that Jesus did not die for. We will never meet someone beyond the grace of God. People are one humble prayer away from being our brothers or sisters in Christ. Let us look at people like Jesus did and really care.

Some empty person needs you today.