Dining With JesusSample

Jesus: The Unexpected Guest

High above the crowd, a man struggled to see over the heads of everyone in the street. Zacchaeus, small in stature and despised by the city, had climbed a tree just to catch a glimpse of someone he longed to see.

He was no ordinary man. A chief tax collector, wealthy, influential, and widely hated. He carried both fear and hope as he peered through the branches. The bustling crowd below had no idea that something extraordinary was happening in that tree.

Then Jesus stopped. His eyes scanned the crowd, locked on Zacchaeus, and called his name. In that moment, the man everyone avoided became the one Jesus chose. Not to shame him, not to expose him, but to offer friendship, a shared meal, and a place in His mission.

This encounter reveals the heart of Jesus. He doesn’t wait for perfection or for us to get our lives in order first. He comes to us in our brokenness, and His love transforms everything.

For Zacchaeus, grace turned greed into generosity. He pledged to repay what he had taken and to give to the poor, not to earn love, but in response to it.

True grace always leads us to live differently.

The crowd saw a thief. Jesus saw a seeker.

The crowd saw corruption. Jesus saw a heart ready to be found.

Today, He sees you the same way. He calls your name, stops by your tree, and wants to sit at your table.

Will you open the door? Will you welcome Him into your home, your heart, your everyday life?

Because when Jesus takes a seat at your table, nothing remains the same.

Prayer

Lord, many times I have sought Your face, longing for the moment You would turn and see me among the crowd. I feel unworthy of Your gaze, yet today I thank You for reminding me that Your love sees beyond my failings. Rest Your eyes upon my heart and help me feel Your closeness. Come into my home and share the table with me.

In Jesus’ name.
Amen.