First of all, let me confess that the following thoughts are not just mine but my preacher’s as well. As I worshiped yesterday I was struck by the power of Ronnie White’s sermon and haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
In Luke 19 we learn about Zacchaeus. He was a wee little man and a wee little man was he. More importantly, he was a Jewish man serving as a tax collector for the Roman Empire. This made him a traitor to his heritage and a sinner above all other sinners in the eyes of his community. When he learned that Jesus would be passing through his town of Jericho, he climbed into a tree so that he could see the LORD as he walked past. Jesus knew where he was, told him to climb down from the tree and proceeded to go to Zacchaeus’ home to spend time with him.
Zacchaeus was changed by the time he spent with Jesus. As a tax collector he was a cheater and a thief. After encountering the love of Jesus he vowed to give half of his wealth to the poor and repay what he had stolen from his countrymen.
Although there are numerous lessons to be pulled from this story, my favorite is this: You don’t have to be who you have always been. Change is possible, often necessary. Change can come through years of struggle. Change can come from a shocking “rock bottom.” Change can most certainly come from the transforming love of Christ.
At Planting Seeds Christian Counseling, change can come from counseling with a professional who can walk with you through the challenges. If change is what you seek, know that you don’t have to be who you have always been and, at Planting Seeds, we can help.