It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…
April brings happy thoughts of spring: birds singing, trees budding, flowers blossoming, romance blooming. Just when we are beginning to enjoy a touch of spring fever, our peaceful mood vanishes once we realize taxes are due. Frantically we dig through that shoebox of receipts we call our filing system and try to meet the deadline.
There’s something ironic about filing taxes in April, since virtually all the money we make from January through April goes to the government. Now don’t get me wrong. I know we are to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s (Mark 12:17), but I do think our Caesar takes a little more than a fair share. This is nothing new. In biblical times, tax collectors (today we might call them the IRS) didn’t have a great reputation either. Take for example a certain tax man from Jericho named Zacchaeus (Luke 19).
In those days, there were only two major highways in Israel. One went right through Jericho, so Jericho was a hub of activity. It had a custom-like toll station where thousands traveled and had to pay taxes on every cow, calf, camel, or anything else breathing that came through. Since it was Passover time, there were tens of thousands of Jews going to Jerusalem on this road. There was quite a crowd—and in this crowd was Jesus.
Now word of Jesus and His miracles had spread. All of these people passing through Jericho wanted to see him. Zacchaeus was no exception, but he did have a disadvantage. He was short—very short—but clever. He ran ahead of the crowd, climbed a sycamore tree near the road which allowed him to easily see above the crowd, and waited. He could see Jesus approaching. Then Jesus stopped near the tree and said, “Zacchaeus! Come down. I’m going to your house today.”
Zacchaeus was shocked, but probably somewhat pleased. After all, Jesus was a bit of a celebrity. The people were shocked as well, but not pleased. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Even worse, he was the chief tax collector—considered a crook protected by the Roman government and despised by the people. They couldn’t understand why Jesus would choose Zacchaeus to befriend.
We aren’t privy to the conversation between Jesus and Zacchaeus during their time together. All we know is that when Zacchaeus came out to address the murmuring crowd, he was a changed man. “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
I’m sure many thought, “Yeah, right! I’ll believe it when I see it.” That’s what I’d say if the IRS suddenly got religion. Yet Jesus said, “This day salvation has come to this house…For the Son of man has come to seek and to save the lost.” Perhaps His arm was resting on Zacchaeus’s shoulder when He said it, because I’m sure a bond formed between the two for such a transformation to take place. Zacchaeus was no longer lost.
Many valid lessons can be drawn from this biblical account: stewardship, redemption, repentance, reconciliation, salvation, and grace. This list is endless. When I read these scriptures I see love. In spite of Zacchaeus being an unlovable sinner, Jesus loved him.
Love by itself can change so many things. Love can alter how we view others. It can create highs and lows of emotions. Romantic love can make the sky seem bluer, the grass greener. A mother’s love can be unselfish and enduring. A father’s love can be strong and courageous. A friend’s love can be compassionate and understanding. However, the love Jesus has for the unlovable transforms lives. As one of the unlovable ones in life, I’m truly thankful.
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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)
