Wis 11:22-12:2
2 Thes 1:11-2:2
Lk 19:1-10

To be Tall of Heart
I have been short a great deal of my life. I am fifty and I can honestly say that I haven’t been tall since the 5th grade. It was easy to be tall then, easy to be able to see over the heads of those shorter than myself. I think that being tall those early years was like being called first to do cool things. However, my height was short lived. It seems like such a long time ago that physical height was part of my identity.

In the gospel reading of November 4th I feel an affinity with Zacchaeus, the short in stature tax collector. He wasn’t tall enough to see from the ground in the midst of the crowd so he sought another way to see Jesus. Much to Zacchaeus’s surprise Jesus called him down from his perch and asked to stay with him. Wow! Just think Jesus saw more than his physical height, He also saw into this man’s heart.

The righteous who were watching weren’t pleased at all, after all how could this man of God spend the night with the lowest of the low-a mere tax collector?

I like connecting myself to the one Jesus calls down from the tree, I am a bit reluctant to place myself with the “righteous.” However, recently I watched a former boss be removed from her position due to some of her dealings with me. I have felt very good about his demise. As I think about the gospel reading for November 4th and my reactions to this woman’s loss of employment, I wonder if I have begun to give away my inner height for short term “self righteousness and small heartedness?”

I wonder in this situation where the gospel writer would place me in this story? Do I have the humility of Zacchaeus to be seen by the loving eyes and heart of Jesus? Do I have the trust to come down in order to be raised up as a companion of the champion of love and forgiveness? Honestly, I don’t have it yet, but I do have the seed of desire to have Jesus ask to come home to my inner house.