March 6, 2016: Day 63 – Luke 19

A wee little man named Zaccheus hosted Jesus at his home.  The Scripture says that he jumped down off the tree and was so pleased that Jesus had noticed him.  Then in vs.6 it states that he was happy to welcome him to his home.  People were not happy with this new found friendship.  Jesus should not be at the house of sinners.  This sinner has a surprise for Jesus and everyone else who is in attendance.  It is a statement that he makes unsolicited and without Jesus asking him to step up.  “How about this Jesus?  Half of that which I own I will give to the poor, and if anyone has a beef against how I collected, I’ll pay them back four times.”

On a recent plane ride I saw the beginning (the plane landed before the movie was over) of Spotlight.  It was the investigation into the Roman Catholic Church and the systemic abuse that was being covered up.  Let me be clear, this could have been, and just may be, any church at all.  The fact that there is a protective statute of limitations for these institutions is sickening.  Zaccheus does not have a statute of limitations for how far back they could go if they were wronged by him.  “If I have defrauded anyone of anything…”  When he encounters Jesus his life is changed and the sky is the limit.  What a great example.