Tree climbing rarely makes it into the history books. But has anyone NOT climbed a tree? Parents even encourage it. My dad put me in a tree for the first time—and he created a monster. We had the perfect climbing tree, with smooth bark and limbs spaced out as if someone had engineered it for children. There were no scratchy short limbs or twigs, or rough bark—it was perfect. All the kids we knew climbed that tree—someone on Facebook actually asked me about that tree recently. It was a fruitless mulberry, sparing us a lifetime of purple stains.
As I grew bigger, I climbed hundreds of other trees, their canopies the perfect escape. And as a grown man, I can still climb—but I may be hurting in the morning.
The Bible has a story about tree climbing, and this was a grown man with perhaps the stature of a child. Zacchaeus climbed a tree so he could get a better look at this Jesus guy everyone was talking about. When Jesus reached the sycamore, He said, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down. Today I must stay at your house.” So Zacchaeus climbed down and took Jesus into his home. And he responded to the Master:
“‘Look, I’ll give half my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much!’ Jesus said, ‘Today salvation has come to this house’” Luke 19:8-9.
Do you have the enthusiasm of Zacchaeus? Does Jesus excite you enough to climb a tree for a better look?
More importantly, could you give half your possessions to the poor for Jesus? Could you go from rich to middle class because you love Jesus?
Dear God, fill us with enthusiasm about Jesus. Help us love you so much that we get out of our comfort zone, climb a tree, pull a muscle, give until it hurts. Make us more like little Zack, the rich, powerful man who was not too proud to climb a tree for a better knowledge of the Master.
ΑΩ
Household Words: 