He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.
—Luke 19:7
When Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus’ home, he was “welcomed with great joy” (Lk 19:6).
The mood on the street didn’t match the joy in the house. The people groused that Jesus had “gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
The grace of Jesus transformed Zacchaeus. That made Jesus happy—but not the critics.
In an earlier parable, when a lost sheep was found, the shepherd threw a party: “Rejoice with me,” he said, “I have found my lost sheep” (Lk 15:3–7). There was no rejoicing by the holier-than-thou folk when Zacchaeus was saved.
In the parable, ninety-nine sheep were safe, and one was lost. In the Zacchaeus story, one was safe, and ninety-nine were lost.
Of the seven things God hates, the first is “Eyes that look down on others” (Prv 6:17).
When you’re looking down on someone
you can’t see Him who is above you.