Wednesday, January 25, 2012

People Are Funny


I must say, “People are funny” three or four times a day. I am not always talking about humor - If you know what I mean. We have differences and look at life differently. People have their own life experiences and ways of doing things.

In Luke 19:1-10, we see a man named Zacchaeus, that people murmured or muttered about. They thought he was funny.

 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.  7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”  8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “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.”  9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

As you can see Jesus’ reaction to someone who was “funny” was very different than the people. Let’s be honest we wouldn’t have much to do with him either. Praise God that Jesus loves us in spite of ourselves! Amen?

Be wise today and always. Be nice to someone.