Wednesday, OCtober 26, 2022
Scripture: Luke 19.1-7
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through town. A man there named Zacchaeus, a ruler among tax collectors, was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but, being a short man, he couldn’t because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When Jesus came to that spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay in your home today.” So Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus.
Everyone who saw this grumbled, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
Devotion:
When I was growing up, seafood wasn’t exactly on the menu. In fact, the only seafood I can remember having as a child was fish sticks, which suffered through eating every Good Friday. By the time I was 24 and began dating Alex, I had made up my mind: seafood was gross. Imagine my anxiety when I was invited to Alex’s family’s house on Christmas Eve for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. I spent the days leading up to it planning my exit strategies: I would politely say, “No thank you,” to fish dishes I thought I wouldn’t be able to stomach. I would use my job at the church to excuse myself partway through. Anything to get through it without being labeled a picky eater…but also without eating too much dreaded fish.
When I arrived for the event, I was introduced to the first course: an oyster vodka shooter. In other words, a shot of vodka with a raw oyster at the bottom. I was prepared to politely refuse, but next to me, Alex’s grandmother picked up the shot glass and threw back the oyster straight down her throat. There was no choice: if an 90 year old was going to do it, so could I. And so I did. And strangely…I found that I liked all 7 of the fish dishes that were served. Years later, Alex and I took a fish-cooking-class and learned more about how fish should be properly prepared (oddly, fish sticks weren’t featured in the class!). I was shocked to find that fish, for me, had changed…seafood could go into a category of things I liked. I changed my mind about seafood.
At the heart of this familiar and well-loved story about Zacchaeus is this reluctance we often hold to changing our minds about something. The people who see Jesus’ kindness to Zacchaeus, who observe his curiosity about Jesus, and bear witness to his transformation of heart and life…well…they just would rather keep Zacchaeus in a category with fish sticks. No thanks, we don’t want to have to deal with that guy.
How is God calling you to change your mind this week? Are there people like Zacchaeus who deserve another chance? Are there politicians like Zacchaeus that require a second look? Are there biases that we need to shed as we live in community with others? Join me on Sunday at 10am as we celebrate Reformation Sunday and consider changing our minds.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through town. A man there named Zacchaeus, a ruler among tax collectors, was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but, being a short man, he couldn’t because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When Jesus came to that spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay in your home today.” So Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus.
Everyone who saw this grumbled, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
Devotion:
When I was growing up, seafood wasn’t exactly on the menu. In fact, the only seafood I can remember having as a child was fish sticks, which suffered through eating every Good Friday. By the time I was 24 and began dating Alex, I had made up my mind: seafood was gross. Imagine my anxiety when I was invited to Alex’s family’s house on Christmas Eve for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. I spent the days leading up to it planning my exit strategies: I would politely say, “No thank you,” to fish dishes I thought I wouldn’t be able to stomach. I would use my job at the church to excuse myself partway through. Anything to get through it without being labeled a picky eater…but also without eating too much dreaded fish.
When I arrived for the event, I was introduced to the first course: an oyster vodka shooter. In other words, a shot of vodka with a raw oyster at the bottom. I was prepared to politely refuse, but next to me, Alex’s grandmother picked up the shot glass and threw back the oyster straight down her throat. There was no choice: if an 90 year old was going to do it, so could I. And so I did. And strangely…I found that I liked all 7 of the fish dishes that were served. Years later, Alex and I took a fish-cooking-class and learned more about how fish should be properly prepared (oddly, fish sticks weren’t featured in the class!). I was shocked to find that fish, for me, had changed…seafood could go into a category of things I liked. I changed my mind about seafood.
At the heart of this familiar and well-loved story about Zacchaeus is this reluctance we often hold to changing our minds about something. The people who see Jesus’ kindness to Zacchaeus, who observe his curiosity about Jesus, and bear witness to his transformation of heart and life…well…they just would rather keep Zacchaeus in a category with fish sticks. No thanks, we don’t want to have to deal with that guy.
How is God calling you to change your mind this week? Are there people like Zacchaeus who deserve another chance? Are there politicians like Zacchaeus that require a second look? Are there biases that we need to shed as we live in community with others? Join me on Sunday at 10am as we celebrate Reformation Sunday and consider changing our minds.