All are welcome, whoever you are

Have you met a short and crooked man? Meet Zacchaeus the tax collector. Yes, the rich man who got rich at the expense of his fellow Jews. This is someone who capitalized on his political relationship to get further in life in the easiest way possible. He became interested in Jesus Christ and was noticed by Jesus. Jesus said He is going to stay with him. Oops. How can Holy God mix with such people?

Luke 19:5-7

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

Are you one of those who gets offended when a fellow Christian brother or sister sits with sinful people? They all need Jesus. Are we prepared to reach out to them to show them the kingdom of God? Or, do we operate with a self righteous attitude and be like the Jewish leaders that went to the extent of plotting Jesus' death? The kingdom of God is coming, and are we ready to risk our reputations and our lives to see ALL men and women saved? This includes the poor, the rich, the people far and near and persons with gender identity challenges.

Father, let me not discriminate who gets to associate with me for the gospel's sake. Let me stay faithful to preaching the Kingdom and demonstrating it.

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