Zacchaeus climbs up a tree. Climbing down cost him half of his fortune.
In Luke 19:1–10, Jesus calls Zacchaeus down and asks to come over to his house. The wealthy tax collector climbs down and welcomes Him joyfully.
Everyone grumbles. Jesus - eating with the worst of the worst.
But Jesus, as always, brings life wherever he goes.
Zacchaeus pledges half of his sizeable fortune to the poor on the spot. There's more.
For anyone he has extorted, he pledges to repay four times the amount.
Imagine a robber finding you years later and giving you 4 times what they stole.
Zacchaeus has a true Jesus encounter.
Notice the order. Zacchaeus seeks and receives Jesus first. That's first. No price for admission.
But follow through and money count. So do forgiveness and repentance.
We sin. We regret. We hope people move on. Meanwhile, the other person still suffers.
Putting things right is important. It defines Christianity.
We can't fix everything. Some actions can't be repaired.
What we can do, we should. It takes courage. The rest stays with Jesus.
Consider that today: would you give half of your possessions to right your wrongs? What courage and faith would doing that take?