Luke 18:10-11 (NIV) - “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector.”

As the Pharisee is standing by himself, setting himself apart, he is making a statement that the temple or house of God was for people like himself and not for the likes of other people - you know, sinners. And one in particular, a tax collector, caught his attention and disdain. In the following chapter in Luke from where we find this parable, another tax collector catches someone’s attention.

Luke 19:1-10 (NIV) - “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’”

When I read the parable in Luke 18, I picture the likes of Zacchaeus who in the mind of the Pharisee was too far off to ever reach God. Zacchaeus tried, even climbing a tree, to see this Jesus, but little did he know Jesus was coming to reach him. There’s another tax collector, Matthew, that Jesus comes for and we all know how that ends - salvation for them and for those in their households. What is it about these sinners - robbers, evildoers, adulterers, tax collectors - that draws Jesus’ attention?

What kind of attention do sinners get from us? “Thank goodness we’re not like that”, “hope that doesn’t rub off on me”, but these thoughts and sentiments keep the very ones who are called to fill God’s temple and fill His house far off. Jesus says about Zacchaeus, “this man, too”, meaning he is also meant to be included.

Today let’s pray for those close in our lives who have not yet turned to Christ for saving faith. Pray for family members, co-workers, neighbors, students, those we are actively reaching out to. As you pray for them, declare the words from this passage saying their name and “come down (respond) immediately, Jesus must stay at your house today” and asking that salvation would come to their house today.

-AK