“Two men went up into the temple to pray ; one was a Pharisee (a religious leader), the other an ordinary man. The Pharisee stood upright and made this prayer in his heart, `I thank you, God, that I am not like the rest of men, who steal and cheat and commit adultery, or like this ordinary man here; for myself, I fast twice in the week, I give alms. And the ordinary man stood far off, he would not even lift up his eyes towards heaven he only beat his breast and said, `God be merciful to me; I am a sinner.’ I tell you this man went back home higher in God’s favour than the other. Every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and the man who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18, 10-14)

ZACCAEUS THE SHORT MAN

When we think of the greatness of God and remind ourselves of all the wonders in the universe that He has made with such ease, we may, perhaps, feel afraid to approach Him. How can such a weak creature as I know myself to be, how can I dare to call on that great God?

An incident in the life of Jesus shows how easily He can be approached. And it shows the tremendous change a mere meeting with Jesus can make in a person.

“He had entered Jericho and was passing though it; and here a rich man named Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, was trying to distinguish which was Jesus, but could not do so because of the multitude, being a man of small stature. So he ran on in front, and climbed up into a sycamore tree, to catch sight of Him, since He must necessarily pass that way.

“Jesus, when He reached the place, looked up and saw him : `Zacchaeus,’ He said, `make haste and come down; I am to lodge today at your house.’ And he came down with all haste and gladly made Him welcome.

“When they saw it, all took it amiss : `He has gone to lodge, they said, `with one who is a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood upright and said to the Lord, `Here and now, Lord, I give half of what I have to the poor; and if I have wronged anyone in any way, I make restitution of it four-fold.

“Jesus turned to him and said, `Today salvation has been brought to this house; he too is a son of Abraham That is what the son of Man has come for, to search out and to save what was lost” (Luke 19, 1-19).

Christ has come to save those who know themselves to be in need of a saviour. It is always the proud and the self-righteous who criticize Him for mixing with sinners. These people are tied up in the claims of their own self. They are so blinded by their selfishness that they cannot see their own real need.

The man who truly knows his own self, and who sees just where he stands before God, can say with the common man in the temple : “God be merciful to me; I am a sinner.” Such a man is like the person who is sick and knows it. He goes to the doctor. He has a chance of finding a cure which the one who does not admit his need, does not have.

The most dangerous sickness is worship of self because it so completely blinds a man or woman to everything except self. And that puts one in a very narrow and small world.

THE FOOLISH RICH MAN