As I ponder to the video, do my sickness needed to be healed or do my prayers needed to be answered before following to Jesus? I think it’s like I am only looking for the blessings but never to the One who is source of the blessing.  I trapped God in my own ‘bubble’ and I limit Him to do things that seems impossible for me yet possible for Him. I didn’t realize He is still in control in my life and all the things that happens to me; whether good or bad are part of His wonderful, perfect and majestic plan for me. 

In addition, I realize that when difficulties come excuses are not far behind considering that there are many distractions in this world. However, Zacchaeus didn’t take excuses since the longing and emptiness that he felt for a long period of time had answer; it is through Jesus Christ. He immediately humbled himself and followed Jesus—the one who only matters to him. I hope that I may have a strong conviction like Zacchaeus who didn’t follow the comfort in this world and have courage in representing Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. 

 

 

Jesus here is like a Sheperd. We all know the famous parable of the lost sheep where the shepherd left his flock of 99 sheep to find the missing one. The missing sheep represents us, a lost human being. When he found the sheep, he threw a big party. Jesus is more excited to someone who repents than the others who act like nothing happened and think that they are perfect. Just like in the parable, maybe he throws a party in heaven if we come back in His arms once again. Zacchaeus was an example of Jesus' personal, earthly mission that shows that it is still possible to bring salvation to the lost.

            Zacchaeus, with all his possible intentions, entered to what he thought was a safe choice. Because of being oppressed by the society and by his own mind, he wanted to make a name for himself and embraced power amidst cruelty. Despite of having all the wealth, power and fame, satisfaction never came upon him. He found what people nowadays call “success” – something turned out as intended. But never did he find any reference to meaning, fulfillment, happiness, and lasting relationship with the people around him. No mention of feeling fully alive. No thoughts about creating a legacy of service to the society. Sometimes these practical definitions of success are what make concepts dangerous and darker. People intend to show off that they become aggressive which results to Napoleonic Complex as what portrayed Zacchaeus’s condition is. 

            As I reflect on the story of Zacchaeus, nothing captivates me further than the fact that Christ did not turn him down despite of who he was to the eyes of everyone. Christ made a reputation of seeking the lost to be saved. Zacchaeus was a sinner, yet a converted sinner.
 Sometimes, it’s hard to avoid listening to what others think or what others speak about me. It is hard to carry the burden of predominant thoughts. But I am what God made me. Yes, there is sadness in my finitude. I am consciously aware of my limitations, my unworthiness, and my vulnerabilities, but still, there is this inner intuition that with God, everything goes beyond boundaries. With Christ, everything lost is found again.