Sycamore-Fig Tree

I love the life I have and the life I live, however I have been feeling a bit stuck lately. I usually only feel this way while at work, which isn’t a good thing. I have a great job that I do enjoy, however something about my current occupation seems empty. That seems crazy  when you realize that my work is pretty easy. I have friends here, I get to read, I can do my homework or of course surf around on Facebook. However over the past few weeks something seems to be missing. I have thought long and hard about this and to be honest it has frustrated me at times. I just feel like I am in the wrong place or doing the wrong thing. Or maybe I am in the right place and I just haven’t opened my eyes enough to see it. I will try to explain…

I know I don’t do this enough, however when I help somebody in need I feel a sense of joy and a feeling that is out of this world. I love to reach out and help those who are in need. At times I have been hesitant to do so, however once I do I feel so much better about myself. I could easily sit at home or drive past people, but once I decided to reach out I find something inside me that shouts for joy. I feel like I am doing something I was meant to do. Like I was meant to show people love, support, care, and everything else. Then I get to work and that feeling fades out. I for some reason believe that I can’t find lost and helpless people here. So I my eyes become shut and I don’t see the need to help.

I get the thought in my head that the only place I can find people in need or “lost” people is where I want them to be, at my spot. I think that lost people are only outside of work and in the areas I want them to be. Lost people can’t be in the same place I am working, they can’t be in a hospital that is founded on religious values, they can’t be here, can they? As much as my mind at times wants to tell me no, I know that their are many people around me who are lost and in need of help. I just have to open my eyes and look for them. I need to do exactly what Jesus did in Luke 19.

The story in Luke 19:1-10 says “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ ” 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.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

I don’t know if Zacchaeus was a Christian or was just like so many of us who just want to get a glimpse of somebody famous, the Bible doesn’t really say. He easily could have heard Jesus was coming and wanted to see him in person. I mean who wouldn’t want to see the most famous person of their time walking down the road. What we do see from this passage is that even though Zacchaeus was short he managed to climb and tree and see over the crowd to see Jesus. Then Jesus says to him “Zacchaeus come down immediately, I must stay at your house today.” This verse has hit me pretty hard these past few weeks. Especially when it comes to finding lost people.

Like I said earlier, I tend to think that lost people are only where I want them to be, that they come to me at my spot. After reading this verse I have come to a much better understand. Jesus say Zacchaeus right where he was. Jesus didn’t wait for Zacchaeus to come to where He was, Jesus had open eyes and looked for the lost right where they are. The lost are all around us, we just have to open our eyes and see them where they are. When I open my eyes I could see that lost people could be working right next to me and I have been blind to this. Thanks to Jesus and the story in Luke 19 I see that I have to open my eyes and see that lost people are everywhere, not where I want them to be.

I believe that God has put me in this spot, in this job for a reason. It may have taken me some time to figure out that purpose, but deep down inside I knew that purpose the entire time. My purpose as a Christian is so much more then just believing in God, believing that Jesus died for me, and following his word and commands. As A Christian I am called to live a life like Christ, spread his word, and make disciples of other nations. Those nations are a lot closer then I wanted to see. I just thank God for opening my eyes to see where He has me.

So my challenge is for all of us to open our eyes and look up. Our Zacchaeus could be right in front of us.