Creator, Father, King #208

Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

THE DESPISED LITTLE MAN peered through the branches. The teeming throngs below crammed the streets of Jericho, waiting for the Messiah as he made his much-anticipated trip toward Jerusalem for the Passover celebration.

The little man, though, was too short to enjoy the spectacle at street level. So he had climbed a sycamore tree to catch even a fleeting glimpse of Jesus.

In that brief moment, from his leafy perch, he towered above them. On the social ladder, he ranked above most of them, too, thanks to his great wealth. But that’s because he was a crook. Jewish by birth and Roman tax collector by trade, he collected what the Romans required and sneaked in an extra percentage for himself. His countrymen considered him a loathsome traitor.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the din of the crowd: “Zacchaeus! Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

Jesus wasn’t just making a social call on Zacchaeus. He was calling Zacchaeus to a new way of life.

At his house, Zacchaeus vowed, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

Zacchaeus had truly repented.

What’s It Mean?

Repentance is often misunderstood. In Mark 1:15, Jesus told the crowds, “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Both repentance and faith are necessary for salvation.

Repentance is much more than an offhand comment such as, “My bad,” or “Sorry about that.” True biblical repentance is about heart change. It’s turning from your sins and choosing to follow God—obedience built on saving faith in Christ (see today’s verse). This is the radical transformation that Zacchaeus displayed. (You can read his story in Luke 19:1-10.)

Repentance is a vital part of every Christian’s conversion. If you’ve never turned from your sins and trusted in Christ, do so today!

But repentance is also an important part of every Christian’s ongoing spiritual life whenever we sin against God or others. When you sin, confess it to the Lord, ask for his forgiveness, and ask the Spirit’s help to leave that sin behind. He will faithfully help you (1 John 1:9).

Now What?

Do you have any unconfessed sin toward the Lord or another person? Bring it into the light in true repentance today.

Did You Know?

Old Testament law required a thief to repay “the full price plus an additional 20 percent” (Leviticus 6:5). Zacchaeus far exceeded these requirements!