May 7, 2024 – The Dollar Spot Devotions: The Telescoping Marshmallow Skewer – How Short Are Your Arms?

“He entered Jericho and was passing through it.  A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.   He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.   When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”  So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.  All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”  Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” Luke 19:1-10

One of the great things about summer is having the opportunity to hang out in your back yard, or a neighbor’s back yard around a fire pit.  And where there is a fire pit, there is a bag of marshmallows, graham crackers, and some chocolate. For some reason I cannot keep our marshmallow skewers in a place I can find them from year to year, so I often have to grab a stick from the back yard and whittle a point on the end in order to roast marshmallows. But now, my “dollar spot” has the answer to my problem – a telescoping marshmallow skewer. This handy device will serve two purposes: first, I can put them in a drawer in the kitchen when we are done using them, so I will be able to find them. Second, if you have short arms, you don’t have to sit so close to the fire since the skewer has a telescoping arm. 

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in Jericho, and he had short arms, and legs, and, well everything about him was short in stature. But he also had big responsibilities. And being a tax collector not only meant big responsibilities, but it also meant that he was not liked much by the people. One day this short man sees Jesus – or at least is trying to see Jesus, but the crowd is too big. So, he does what any short person has to do – he finds higher ground – or in his case a high tree. Jesus sees him and calls him down because, as Jesus says, “I MUST stay in your house today.”  Jesus knows the reputation of this tax collector, but that does not stop him from developing a relationship with him. And in calling him to be a part of his life, Jesus changes the life of Zacchaeus. When we develop a relationship with Jesus, many of us will be convicted to be called to accountability in all aspects of our lives. If we are to be call ourselves Christians, then we need to allow the love of G-d made manifest through the life of Jesus to change us. For some of us, that change will be spontaneous. For others, the change will be slow and steady. But the change needs to come because the love and mercy and Grace that G-d offers to us through Jesus is not a minor event. If Jesus says to you “I am coming to your house”, I imagine there is a lot of cleaning and throwing out all of us will need to undertake.  So, why not start now – because Jesus is calling you now – “____________” (insert your name) “I MUST stay at YOUR house today.”

Don’t delay – Jesus wants to come to stay.

Pastor Dave