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I like the account of Jesus' meeting with Zacchaeus, told by Luke in his Gospel, (see Luke chapter 19 verses 1 to 10 ) Zacchaeus was a tax-collector, whose job was to collect money regularly from the people on behalf of the Roman government. These tax men were hated because of their habit of cheating the people and then keeping some tax money for themselves. Zacchaeus was wealthy, and Luke says he was a "chief tax-collector".
Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, where He would be crucified. Passing through Jericho, He was as usual surrounded by crowds of excited people who had heard about His healings and miracles. Zacchaeus was probably concerned about the next tax collection, but nevertheless he was keen to see this very interesting person for himself. He was curious (as we no doubt would have been) and may even have had a niggling conscience about keeping money over his "allowance" from Rome. The trouble was, he was a short man and wouldn't get a good view of Jesus. So he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed into a sycamore tree! Good thinking, Zacchaeus. When Jesus arrived at the spot He looked up and called the tax-collector by name! Jesus asked if He could come to his house, and Zacchaeus welcomed Him gladly.
The people were naturally astonished at this and started muttering and grumbling: "Jesus is going to a SINNER'S house today - disgraceful". But we read that Zacchaeus stood before Jesus and declared that he would give half his possessions to the poor and pay back four times the amount of money to anyone he had cheated. Zacchaeus received salvation that very day, and his family. He had given his hard heart to Jesus and been transformed.
We all sin by having a tendency to be careless with our words and actions. If we never, ever feel sorry about it we are in danger of becoming "hard-hearted". St.Paul warned about this in Romans chapter 2 verse 5: "But you have a hard and stubborn heart, and so you are making your own punishment even greater on the Day when God's anger and righteous judgements will be revealed". Psalm 51 was written by King David. Verse 10 says "Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me". Paul says the same in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 23: "Your hearts and minds must be made completely new".
How is this even possible? By believing in and putting our trust in Jesus, the Son of God and Saviour of the world. Zacchaeus met Jesus in Jericho twenty centuries ago and had a "change of heart". When the human heart is changed, we and society can be changed for the better. Give YOUR heart to Jesus today.
