Luke 19: 2-3
Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.
I don't know anyone who likes taxes. I suppose we all benefit from them in one way or another, but as far as actually paying them, you never hear the person in front of you in line at Home Depot shout, "Woo hoo! 7% on the dollar!" In fact, taxes have been causing trouble for a while. There was that whole issue with the British and the colonists and of course, when we read about a tax collector in the Bible, we can pretty much assume he was not well-liked.
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, so he was probably not invited to many birthday parties. He was a Jew who collected taxes from other Jews for the Romans. In order to make money, tax collectors had to take a little extra - a handling fee if you will. I bet many of them rest their heads on their pillows at night justifying their behavior by saying, "That's not who I am. It's just part of the job."
Do you fall into that trap? Is the Monday to Saturday you unrecognizable to the Sunday you? I think we are all guilty of it in one way or another. Maybe by the job we hold, the way we treat our family, the way we spend our free time… but there is hope. Zacchaeus was seeking Jesus, even in the midst of the people who thought he was an unworthy sinner. He positioned himself so he could (literally) overlook the obstacles between himself and his savior. Once he encountered Christ, he knew what he had to do to make things right. So if you realize you're too often using the excuse, "This isn't really me. It's just the job/stress/social life", realize that Jesus wants you to be the you he knows you can be seven days a week! Just seek him!
