Living in the Spirit
September 21, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:1-10

So [Zacchaeus] hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’ –Luke 19:6-10

Feeling loved and respected changes a person’s perspective. The way of Jesus depends on that premise. Zacchaeus’ life changed because he felt accepted.

A new way of dealing with the homeless has evolved over the past few years that is making a major positive difference. Called housing first, the program transitions a homeless person from living on the street to having a small apartment or house provisioned with the basics of furniture, dishes, etc. Once in their new home, participants are surrounded by whatever help they might need to become self-sufficient and self-supportive. Many have some untreated mental illness including addictions of all kinds. Others lack basic skills to work. Some have such bad teeth that no one would hire them to work with the public. Others do not have the appropriate clothing for work. This is the Jesus way. Love first followed by help. These programs are amazingly successful compared to previous attempts to reduce homelessness.

It is ironic to think that some who are wealthy and have the world at their command like Zacchaeus are in great need of this love first approach also. We do well to remember that a wealthy slave trader wrote Amazing Grace*.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see*.

Prayer: Lord, enable us to love first. Amen.

First verse of Amazing Grace, words by John Newton see at http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Amazing_Grace/

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.