March 8th, 2026

“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.”   ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭2‬

Jericho was a prosperous city, and Zacchaeus had learned how to prosper within it. As a chief tax collector, he oversaw others who collected taxes for Rome. This position made him wealthy, but it also made him deeply despised. Tax collectors were viewed as collaborators with the occupying Roman government, and they were notorious for enriching themselves by collecting more than what was required. Zacchaeus likely had money, influence, and comfort—but very little respect.

In the eyes of the people around him, Zacchaeus was a lost cause. His profession and reputation placed him firmly outside the circle of respectable society. Yet the opening of this story reminds us of something crucial: the categories people use to define someone do not limit the grace of God. Before we hear Zacchaeus speak or see him act, Scripture simply tells us who he was. 

The gospel repeatedly moves toward those others have given up on. Jesus consistently reaches beyond social, moral, and religious boundaries. Zacchaeus represents a type of person that every society produces—the individual whose past or reputation seems to place them beyond redemption.

But God does not operate according to the judgments of people. The very man the people of Jericho likely avoided is the one whose house Jesus will soon visit.

Something to ponder today:  Who are the people in your life or community that others have written off—and how might God see them differently?