The Road to Jericho
by Rich Nichols

The travelers must have been weary from walking on the dusty road all day. They had passed the day enjoying each other’s conversation, at times analyzing the world of religion and politics and at others joking with one another. Occasionally they would come across friends and stop for a brief exchange, while other times unknown travelers would approach, eagerly wanting to talk with the group. Finally, over the horizon stood the outline of the city. Famous in its history and prosperous in the current day, it was the destination for the band of brothers.

News of their coming had preceded them, and many from the town were out to greet them. A large group had formed by the city gate, full of the city’s prominent political, religious and economic leaders. Like a parade without police control, people crowded in to get a glimpse, hear a word, maybe to see something miraculous. There were rumors that just hours before a couple of blind men had received their sight. Upon entering, they were bombarded with the demands of an eager crowd. But in the midst of the confusion, straining and pushing, the leader stopped, looked up into a sycamore tree and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5).

Zacchaeus was well known in the region, but not well liked. In fact, he was generally despised by most of his own people. The ruling power of the day, a foreign empire, had chosen him to collect taxes from the people and send the tribute back to Rome. Understanding that he required a salary, Rome granted that he could collect extra taxes and keep what wanted for himself – and he had done so without restraint. He was a traitor to his country and a thief of his own people. One thing that gave the people a humoristic release to their frustration was that Zacchaeus was a short man. As he tried to make his way through the crowd he was boxed out, ignored, overlooked, so he retreated to a tree along the route. At least there he could catch a glimpse of this guy. However, he was about to catch much more than a glimpse of the latest trend. This day, Zacchaeus would accept an invitation to dine with someone who would offer everything he was looking and longing for.

Why would Christ choose to spend his day with this person, this despised member of society? In the midst of the crowd many people were yelling, trying to get his attention, maybe touching his arm, but instead he looked over their heads, through the leaves of a tree and called out a man. Jesus knew this person who was not wanted in the city. He was rejected by his own and, though rich, made to live a lonely existence. Christ looked beyond the public face of Zacchaeus and saw deep into his heart, understanding his pain and suffering. Christ did not see the hated thief, but rather the broken and lost pilgrim searching to fill the emptiness in his soul.

Joyfully he accepted this request of Jesus and quickly returned to his home. The biblical account says nothing of the meal except the outcome, but we can speculate what Christ said to him. Maybe Christ spent the evening explaining the nature of God and showing His character of justice and fairness. Maybe His presence was a simple gesture of love and acceptance for this lost child of God. Whatever transpired, Zacchaeus’ response is clear. He offers half his money to the poor and in repentance promises to repay four times over everyone he had cheated. The curtain of self-sufficiency, greed and deceit had been torn down and discarded revealing his own need for belonging, generosity and honesty. In a moment, he made the decision to abandon a life filled with the desires and priorities of the world and replace it with the simplicity of Christ’s message.

Like each of us, Zacchaeus was a man in search of something. He had been created with a purpose and designed to find his identity and rest in Christ. But this eluded him and instead he spent his life trying to fill the void with things of the world. Zachaeus’s vice was money and power over others. Determined to find satisfaction in these things, he spent his days becoming wealthier, more influential, all the while more hated, and possibly more depressed with each passing day. However, one encounter with the living God broke his chains of bondage.

The poor with whom we share life and call our friends have a lot in common with Zacchaeus. Though the economic opposites of Zacchaeus, they are his societal twins. Those who live on the streets and have been rejected by society are often reviled by their countrymen and are considered a burden to the city. All day long they are overlooked, walked over, pushed out of the way. They are viewed as thieves, whether they are or not. Like Zacchaeus, our friends turn to all sorts of vices to hide their pain and search for something to satiate the hunger pangs of the heart. Drugs, violence, abusive relationships and migration from spot to spot are used in an attempt to discover, or more likely bury, the longings of their hearts. Christ reaches out to them and calls each one to His side. He denounces their actions as futile but offers a hope to obtain an inner glory which reflects the image of God. Our only hope to escape a life consumed with destructive behaviors is aligning our vision with the heart of Jesus.

Society is filled with angry, depressed and longing individuals. What is genuinely important has been replaced with our own agendas of self-righteousness or self-vindication. Our priorities of have become filled with things which temporarily make us happy yet waste our time. Each day we are ambushed by a society that wants us to add one more thing to our lives, making life a little more complex. These are all attempts to satisfy our deepest needs and desires. But God calls us to not only realign our priorities but radically dispose of our agendas seeking first the kingdom of God.

As we wander this world, Christ’s message to Zacchaeus comes announcing victory and gently reminding us of God’s sovereign plan of redemption; “For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). Whether you are lost on the road to Jericho, the road to downtown or the road to your soul, Christ walks the same road searching for you in unlikely places and inviting Himself to dine with you.