Reflection: The Divine Invitation

By Rev Dr Clive W Ayre

The story of Zacchaeus, in Luke 19:1-10, represents one of the better-known incidents in the life of Jesus. In more ways than one, Zacchaeus was 'up a tree', yet in spite of its simplicity, this story has a profound message about the possibilities of transformation in human life. Someone has described the point at which 'my story' and 'the story' of Jesus intersect as the moment of 'a-ha'; when everything clicks into place, and in a new way we can make sense of our lives.

The Divine Invitation comes in various ways in the scripture.  In this case, it comes in a very personal way. 'Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.' Superficially, he is inviting himself to visit in Zacchaeus' home. At a deeper level, Jesus is inviting Zacchaeus to face up to his situation, to receive the offer of God's grace, and to let God transform his life.

We could think about our IALAC score; IALAC stands for 'I am lovable and capable'. Through a host of negative experiences, many people, and not least young people, have a very low IALAC rating, and that poor self-image tends to remain throughout life. It doesn't need to, but often it does. Zacchaeus, I'm sure, had a low IALAC. So he looks inward and tries to face up to the reality he sees there. It isn’t easy, but we are all called to face up to the reality of our life, and to do so in a positive way.

That's another reason why Zacchaeus was up a tree; he saw it as an opportunity. Consciously or otherwise, Zacchaeus was facing his situation. He saw that there must be a solution for his deep-seated unhappiness, and so he put himself in a position where something was able to happen. And that's how it may be for us as well. God does not merely condemn our sin, but calls us to new possibilities.

When Jesus comes into a person's life and experience, he always makes a difference!  The transformation that came about in the life of Zacchaeus was immediate and obvious, and hopefully it may be so for us as well. That transformation of which we are speaking has a number of facets; but it was, first of all, a transformation of self-understanding. Deep down, who are you? If you're one of the many, little Zacchaeus characters, hiding somewhere but looking wistfully as the Lord passes by, then come down out of your tree. Jesus has news for you!  For you are not a nobody. You are a child of God; and that is God's gift of grace to us all.

In the case of Zacchaeus, it was a transformation which released new springs of generosity, and a fresh awareness of issues of justice. It was as though that meal with Jesus cleared away the debris from the stream of his life, and the flow started again. The evidence of his salvation was there for all to see. A gracious God changed his heart and transformed his whole way of thinking and being.