Up A Tree

At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. 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. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. 

When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:1-10)

Who among us is “up a tree?”  This expression refers to an animal such as a raccoon or squirrel that climbs a tree for refuge from attackers, which then surround the tree so it cannot come down.  It’s a colloquial expression from the 1800s. “Up a tree” also means we are confused and without an answer to a difficult problem.  We need help.

We’ve all been misjudged or wronged through innuendo and gossip at one time or another.  Nasty rumors hurt our reputations. We are up a tree.  We need help.

Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was “lost,” until he met Jesus.  He came down from his tree.  His descent was possible because he decided to give to the poor and repay four times over what he had extorted from anyone.  

It’s the fall, and leaves are being blown off the trees.  There is no place to hide up in our trees.  Our lack of charity and bad behavior are easily seen.  We who are lost need to go to Jesus and be saved.  This especially pertains to those who chased us into the trees through lies, jealousy, and spite.  Our attackers must sin no more.  Jesus takes note.  

Deacon David Pierce