Falderol

Status was important in the days of Jesus. Routines. Habits. Steps of behavior. And there was from all corners some soul searching as to who had the powers. There was status just like there seems to be or have been in our society. You stepped out when life was cricket, and one spoke his opinions when the doors of mouths and souls allowed it.

Jesus was not one wanting to be top of the letter, ordering what things people of power or less were being called to do. He gave them some sort of respective job or conversation that Jesus planned to use down the road and share with those who were curious and maybe not sure about the things they had been hearing and seeing and doing. Why all this falderol?

Jesus predicts His death a bunch of times. Did anyone get it? Did they hear what He was saying, or did they think aww, He’s just teaching us or maybe trying to get the attention of certain bodies following him. One of the most precious stories is when Jesus confronted Zacchaeus, who for some reason - probably to get a better view of Jesus coming down the dirt road - was up in the tree and he didn’t want to cause any confusion, but he did want to get a glimpse of this Holy Man as He passed by. You can imagine Zacchaeus. He was probably slipping and sliding and grasping at the big branches, trying not to make too much noise while getting tangled in the huge sycamore tree. Jesus must have giggled a bit, seeing this gentleman attempting to either hide in the tree or crawl down its trunk.

As Jesus walked past the tree, He probably heard the rattling around and He looked up and saw a jolly fellow tangled in the branches, but also a collaborator and an agent of the Roman overlords.  Jesus probably had a silent giggle and shouted out to Zacchaeus: ” Hurry, come on down. I must stay at your house this night. And I need a meal and you are the right one to feed me.” I’m sure like any of us, Zacchaeus would be running crazy - oh my gosh, what ingredients do we have to make a meal for this amazing man who has overtaken the world with His messages and truths. “And this Jesus was going to stand next to me as if we were equal. No way was that possible.” But I’m sure Zacchaeus said in his heart, he was going to get it together and feed him and befriend him the best way he could.  The idea of equality was a bit tough to understand, but one way or the other Zacchaeus was going to lay out the best spread of meal he could.  I wonder if he had a family who could help their father put out a fabulous meal for this amazing man who called himself the Son of God.

Those following Jesus were probably horrified that he had invited himself into the home of Zacchaeus - putting him on the same plane, on the same level, eye to eye, breath to breath, — was this really a reception for the man who promised He was the Son of God? So shocking was the idea, that Zacchaeus humbled himself in some way to give thanks and gratitude to Jesus. In fact, he agreed to give away half of his wealth to the poor and pay back all those whom he had defrauded. He was willing to bankrupt himself in the giving of himself as Jesus wanted. He would no longer be a tax collector. And Jesus, humbly but happily, declared that “today salvation - healing and wholeness - has come to this house. “This would be a new approach to life for Zacchaeus.

Surely there were ups and downs, and no one believed that he had really had the attention of Jesus. Yet there was evidence that he had experienced a new adventure that someone had accepted the truth about God in a simple, subtle way. Finally, Zacchaeus gave up his old life, and turned away from corrupt systems and sort of slobbery lifestyles with all kinds of power, that often didn’t work. But when he got out of the tree, he got out of his debts and sins and took up the healing and wholeness of salvation, which only Jesus could afford to gift to him in this clever and charming way,

In fact, Jesus set up a table of hospitality opened to anyone who had the time or the heart or the need. In this atmosphere, everyone sits and laughs and shares their problems and joys because, there is no better way. A home. A home offers an ambiance (mood, environment,) where there is freedom and a place to shout out the good and the bad, even knowing that Jesus the Christ was standing right in the center of the room - because He is always with us, whether we see him, hear him, know him, love him, or doubt His presence. This is when we must all share a table of hospitality, and everyone sits and eats and has a moment to talk about their souls and hearts and lives and some of their confusions and doubts. Anyone can be there, and that includes you and me, even today, even now, because God listens to all of us, moment by moment, as He tries to teach us the love, He has for us all. It is a miracle if we just accept it and put it in our souls until we believe that Jesus is ours and we are His. Don’t forget to be thankful and love this amazing man walking the earth to show us the way. Thank you, Jesus.

~ Rev

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