Zacchaeus was a man in the New Testament who was hated by pretty much everyone around him. He was short and probably had a bit of a complex because of it. But he was hated mostly because of his career. He collected taxes.

He didn’t just collect taxes. He tried to fill a void in his life. He would line his pockets by requiring more taxes from citizens, allowing him to live a more extravagant life. Surely, he probably reasoned, money would bring him the happiness and contentment of life that he was missing. But money doesn’t do that. It doesn’t pull you out of a rut or provide the joy of life that you see in other people. He was lonely, unhappy and desperate.

Sometimes it can feel like there is no way out of the situation we find ourselves in. It hurts to feel stuck. You can take hold of the direction your life is going.

Here’s the thing about Zacchaeus: Before he could take hold of his life, he had to climb a tree. Crazy, right?

He heard rumors about a man named Jesus and heard that he was passing through his city of Jericho. Curiosity got to him. He wanted to see who this man was. People would travel on the main road through the city so he decided to go there.

Zacchaeus wasn’t expecting the crowd that he saw when he arrived. Many others were curious about this individual as well.

The crowds pushed together as Jesus was making his way through the city. Zacchaeus’ short stature wasn’t helping him in this situation. His nice clothes and money were no aid in seeing what was going on. Zacchaeus knew he was about to miss out on something big, so he turned and bound up the closest tree to him. There! Now he had a good view.

Just then he locked eyes with the one everyone came to see. Jesus spoke to him and called him out by name: “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5).

Zacchaeus clambered down the tree and greeted his guest warmly. Everyone witnessing this scene reacted in shock and disgust. Why would Jesus want to stay with Zacchaeus? He was a sinner and a thief. Would the Son of God really dwell with someone so wretched?

Zacchaeus felt the stares as he escorted Jesus to his home. But all that didn’t matter. He knew he was going to be hosting someone special. One act—climbing a tree—was about to change everything for him. This was a turning point. He wasn’t being shunned by the man everyone came to see. He was called out, and Zacchaeus wanted to seize his opportunity.

“Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold,” he told Jesus (Luke 19:8).

Zacchaeus knew that he had sinned. He knew that he had been taking what didn’t belong to him. This was a chance to make it right. Jesus' response is incredible: “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:9-10).

Jesus was aware of the kind of person Zacchaeus was. He knew that he cheated people to enrich his own life. But Jesus also saw something else in the little tax collector. He saw a man lost but seeking to change. He saw a man who wanted a way out of a sinful rut. Zacchaeus made the first move. He came to the road, and when he couldn’t see Jesus, he, out of desperation, climbed a tree.

Sometimes it can feel like there is no way out of the situation we find ourselves in. It hurts to feel stuck. Zacchaeus stopped what he was doing, sought Jesus and climbed a tree to ensure he would see Him. God is a loving Father. Jesus is our caring Elder Brother. You need to take a first step toward them. Sometimes it will be a small gesture, like Zacchaeus climbing up the tree in desperation. Perhaps that'll be all the power you can work up. That's when God swoops in to rescue you. 

You can take hold of the direction your life is going.

It may not be easy. You’ll have to maneuver out of the rut that feels safe, because you know deep down it isn’t. At the base of it all, you feel unfulfilled and stuck. But you’re not at the end. You are at a turning point.

Consider this: You are not beyond fixing or having a quality of life that you can be content with. It will just take a little effort. I know it’s perhaps all you can work up, but trust me—this will work.

Jesus told everyone there He was there to save those who have been lost. He wants to rescue you. Compare this story to the section in Luke 15 about the lost sheep, and we see here that Jesus seeks us on an individual level. He meets us where we are to help guide us back to a peaceful pasture.

There are moments in our lives when everyone seems so far away. Isolated and feeling unforgivable, we bury our heads in a feeling of hopelessness. But rest assured there is a God. He loves you and wants to help you. Make that first move. Seek Him. Read Luke 15 today, and see that He cares deeply for you. Read the story of Zacchaeus. Here is a man who was hated by everyone, but saw his opportunity and took it. You are not powerless. Rest assured, you can change, and God will forgive you.