SHORT PEOPLE

Last Sunday, the gospel reading of the week was a parable about a hypothetical pharisee and a hypothetical tax collector (sinner).  This week we read about an incident involving a real tax collector.

This tax collector heard about Jesus and that he was passing through his town.  As Jesus came through, a crowd had gathered to see Him; many hoping to touch Jesus or ask him for something.  This tax collector was a rich but very short man and was afraid he wouldn't be able to see Jesus so he climbed a tree near the roadway.  As He and his disciples passed by, Jesus noticed the man and called out to him by name.  He told him He wanted to stay at his house.  The tax collector was delighted, welcomed Jesus and reformed his life.

The people all muttered and gossiped because Jesus was staying with a well known sinner whom they all disliked.  The message from Jesus was that he didn't care what he had done in the past; only that he reformed his life.  Its never, never too late to make a change.

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