Exposed and Still Accepted

When Jesus came to that spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once.  I must stay in your home today.”  So Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus.  Everyone who saw this grumbled, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”  Luke 19:5-7 (CEB)

Nothing we could ever say or do could ever change our past.  We've said what we've said.  We've done what we've done.  The only thing that truly matters is what we do from our present, moving forward.  Zacchaeus is a good example of this very thing.  Like us all, Zacchaeus was a sinner.  Unlike us all, everyone knew his sins.  He was exposed.  So much so, that everyone in Jericho didn’t bother to call him by name but instead called him sinner – everyone except Jesus.

In today’s scripture, Jesus just entered Jericho.  Zacchaeus wanted to see him, but because he was too short, he couldn’t see.  So he climbed up a tree.  When Jesus arrived at the very spot underneath where Zacchaeus was perched, he looked up and called him by name - Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus mean pure and righteous one.  So when everyone else was calling him sinner, Jesus was calling him pure and righteous.

Today know that you are exposed and you are accepted!  You may not be exposed to man, but we all are exposed to God.  David said in Psalm 139:1, “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me.” (CEV)  Can you fathom someone knowing every single detail about you – even those things you don’t want anyone to know – and still love you, still accept you?  That person is God.