Zacchaeus sought to ‘see’ Jesus. (Luke 19:2-10) The presence of a large crowd prevented him from seeing Jesus. This was further made difficult due to his short stature. So he climbed a sycamore tree, to aid him to get a good vantage point to ‘see’ Jesus. That may be very undignified for an income tax officer to climb trees to ‘see’ Jesus pass by. But Zacchaeus’ longing to ‘see’ Jesus overcame that hurdle. As an income tax officer who collected taxes from his own countrymen to feed the royal treasury of the oppressing ruling nation, caused him to be hated by the citizens. So coming near any crowd would add to the rejection he must have felt. But he overcame even that hurdle because he wanted to ‘see’ Jesus. Obviously he was searching for something. Perhaps he was searching for a solution to the turmoil in his soul. Perhaps a desire to calm a disturbing conscience was motivating him.
But the Bible says, that when Jesus came to the place, He ‘looked up’ to ‘see’ Zacchaeus. It is as if Jesus was eager to ‘see’ him much more than Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. God notices our desire for Him. As someone said, when we take one step in his direction, He responds by taking 10 steps towards us. It reminds us of the father of the prodigal son who was always on the lookout for his son. It was as it he was expecting him. And when the son returned, in tattered clothes and probably looking haggard, the father still recognised him from far, and ran towards him.
Jesus not only saw him, but took initiative to visit Zacchaeus’ house. That was a tremendous honour for a man who was hated and despised by the regular Jews. Jesus was a Rabbi, but was unlike other rabbis would not want their ‘purity’ to be contaminated by mixing with a sinner like Zacchaeus.
Jesus’ clarified His core value by stating that, “For the Son of Man came to ‘seek’ and save the lost.’ We may be seeking Him, but actually He is seeking us. And He desires to seek us and save us as well. His eyes are on us. No sooner you start your search to for Him, He will find you. Our words, out thoughts, our hunger, our thirst in the right direction will never go waste. Are you seeking Him? Are you longing for Him? Are you able to overcome the hurdles that in your way that prevent you from seeing Him? Your steps of faith will never go unrewarded. For God so loved the world that he SENT His son. To seek you out. Praise God.