running ahead and climbing sycamore trees

It appears that God is treating my life like most do their Thanksgiving dinner plate. Completely full, and yet, there He goes, taking another heaping portion of mashed potatoes, and somehow managing to plop it all down somewhere...maybe on top of the turkey, which is already on top of the stuffing, which is already on top of the ham. He just keeps piling on.

And for the record? I was good with just one serving.

At least, this is how it feels. And then I spend some time in the Gospel this morning (Luke 19:1-10) , and I read about the crowd that keeps Zacchaeus from seeing Jesus, and I find myself looking down at the food on my plate, realizing...this right here? The turkey and the ham and the roll and the stuffing? This is my crowd. This right here, the stuff that piles on top of stuff, is the crowd, the very thing that has kept me from seeing Jesus.

And not just seeing Him. Because you know, Jesus might...but probably will not...just poof into my life, drop down from the sky in the midst of my hissy fit or complaining or tantrum over life not being fair, and make it all better. I need to be a part of this. I need to show some sort of willingness, an ounce of desire to work with Him. I need to run ahead.

Because that is what Zacchaeus did, you know. Say what you want about him, call him every name in the book, keep him where you want, steeped in sin and lies, but Zacchaeus did something that I....who am not a wealthy, chief tax collector stealing from the people....have so often failed to do. He ran ahead. Because he knew he was too short to see over the crowd. He knew that if he did not run ahead and secure a good spot, he might miss Jesus.

He knew himself and he knew enough about Jesus to know that seeking Him out was not merely an option, but quite possibly, the only option. An option worth looking foolish for , taking a risk for, and going out on a limb for, literally.

We run ahead for many things. A good place in the line. To save a row of seats for a school sporting event. To get the best deals on Christmas shopping. To beat the crowd. As I write, I have in my own head my list of "running ahead"....iron the table linens, start the pies, take out the fine china...do this all ahead of time so that come Thanksgiving Day, I am prepared, so that when the crowd shows up at my door, I will be ready to see them, to receive them with joy.

And so this is my question to ponder today. And maybe you can ask yourself the same thing.

Am I running ahead to see Jesus? And if not, what is it I am running ahead for? What is my crowd that keeps me from seeking Him?

I am struck by much in today's Gospel. That Jesus intended to pass through town was just that. His intention. This passing by was no fluke. This was not a coincidence, and can we please stop passing off our daily encounters as just that. Because every encounter has been orchestrated by God. And that Zacchaeus, so lost and so attached to his sin, responded to Jesus's call, and knew enough to run ahead and climb a tree no matter how foolish he looked? Well this is why I have such a soft spot for this man. And that Jesus looked up....as He does to His own Father...to rest His eyes on this lost soul, who ran ahead and climbed above the crowd...and He calls to Him by name? Are you kidding me? How do you even read that and not weep? How do you even read that and not long to have Jesus find you that way? He says, "Zacchaues, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." Sweet friends, do not miss this....do not fail to see that He knew His name. And not only that, but He made known to everyone His mission; that He MUST stay with Zacchaeus, that He was to enter into His home that day. What a moment. What an incredibly, powerful, and beautiful moment.

And of course, the people were pissed off. I love that. People are always pissed off about something, aren't they? They grumbled. The crowd of people were annoyed by Jesus. By His radical kindness. By His crazy love. By His very purpose: to seek and to save what is lost. And don't we do this, too? Don't we look around and judge and gossip and complain about the way Jesus seems to work in other peoples lives? Don't we do our own fair share of grumbling when we think God has passed us holy and faithful ones by, to spend time with a person who we feel is less deserving of His time and grace?

As we approach Thanksgiving, it might be a good idea to take a hint from Zacchaeus. It might be a good idea for us to name our crowd, and to be intentional about how we see above it. Because I don't know about you, but nothing pushes gratitude far out of my heart, than the crowd. Nothing strips my soul of love and the desire to please God in all circumstances, like focusing on the piles upon piles, instead of the sturdy plate, holding it all together. But this is what life does, and the battle will rage on and on, and if we are going to be warriors for Jesus and leave this earth victorious, being able to receive Him with joy, we must start by being intentional. We must begin by planning ahead and responding to His call. We must be ready to invite Him into our homes, no matter what the crowd around us has to say.

He is going to pass by your town. And He is going to seek you out and call your name. And He wants nothing more than for you to do your part, and welcome Him in. And if seeking Him out today means rearranging your day, so be it. And if seeing His gaze upon you means keeping your head up above the crowd, than do it. And if encountering Jesus today requires climbing sycamore trees, start climbing.