Victory in the tree!
In Luke 19:1-10, the bible tells us an interesting story of a man called Zacchaeus. In this story, we learn that Lazarus was a rich man who ran and climbed a tree to see Jesus. Firstly, you will agree with me that rich men do not run often. They are usually calm and very composed. Imagine a Bill Gates or Aliko Dangote running in public! This will be a clear indication that something is amiss. Zacchaeus ran, forgetting his wealth, position, and prestige. This is a true sign of humility. Not only did Zacchaeus run, he also climbed a tree. This required even more effort and concentration. I believe that the process of climbing the tree would have been more demanding for Zacchaeus than the average human being because the bible tells us that he was short in stature; this means that he had short hands and legs; a situation that would have made the climbing process more laborious for him. In spite of the odds, Lazarus took the effort and climbed the tree. Many of us belong to churches in which we attend services, pay tithes and give offerings; you know the regular church grind! However, God often demands more than these routines from us. He needs believers who will ‘run and climb’ if they have to. He yearns for His children to gladly leave their comfort zones, make extra sacrifices and serve Him doggedly in the face of trial, obstacles, stiff opposition and difficulty. He needs people who will allow His will supercede theirs. He needs people who will not only accept him as Saviour, but also as Lord (and Master).
The tree is a place
of observation and meditation. You will agree with me that Zacchaeus spent
quite some time on the tree before Jesus eventually passed by. That tells me
that Zacchaeus was a patient man. What
did he do while waiting? He observed, he meditated on the state of his life, the need to
turn a new leaf(as we later saw in his discourse with Jesus) and all the
possible outcomes of that encounter with the Master. Habakkuk 2:1 says I will stand upon my
watch, and set me
upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall
answer when
I am reproved.
The tree is a place of deep reflection.
Do you recall that Zacchaeus clearly stated his intention to make restitution for
the evils he had done? Who told him to do so, considering the fact that he was
a notorious ‘sinner’? The man was thinking while he waited on the tree and his
reflection led him to rehearse all that he said to Jesus. This reminds one of
the prodigal son and his rehearsed confessional statement when he set out to
return to his father. In fact Zacchaeus met God on that tree.
A tree being an
elevated point above the ground can be likened to a strong tower, a place of
defence, safety and security. Prov. 18:10 says the
name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and
is safe. When animals of prey such as monkeys and rodents are chased by
predators such as lions, the prey may quickly climb a tree in defence, often
ending the chase at that point. Trees are refreshing sanctuaries. Let
me tell you the story of Eric Irivuzumugabe. Eric being from the minority Tutsi
clan of Rwanda escaped death in the hands of the Hutu militia at the age of 16
during the genocide, by living on a cypress tree for 15 days! We can find
strength and protection by waiting upon God in such figurative places of
refuge. Recounting his ordeal, he wrote a book titled “My Father, maker of
the trees”, and started a ministry to take care of children orphaned by the
genocide.
Separation and consecration, often obtained in solitude, are
hallmarks of ‘the tree’. This enables one to think and be apart from the noise
of the rest of the world. The tree is a place for the champions. The ground is
crowded, the trees are not. This was the experience of Zacchaeus. He climbed
the tree to have a vantage view Jesus Christ. The tree is a place for the focused
and the resolute, as it takes a combination of concerted effort, overcoming the
fear and risk of falling, and much concentration to climb a tree. Many
believers do not hear from God, this isn’t because God does not speak; rather
it is because of much noise around them. Jesus in Mark 6:31 said “And he said
unto them, Come
ye
yourselves apart
into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going…….”
It is a place of
hardwork and dedication. As earlier discussed, it took effort for Zacchaeus to
climb the tree and the effort paid off. Zacchaeus climbed just to have a
glimpse of Jesus, but he got more than that as Jesus not only stopped to have a
conversation with him in the prescence of the thronging crowd, He also had
dinner at his house. James 4:8 says “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…..”
Similarly, Prov. 8:17 says “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early
shall find me”.
In summary I quote Deuteronomy 20: 19; "When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege. ‘Plant a tree today’ (raise a meditative altar) and climb that ‘tree’ consistently
to enjoy all the benefits stated herein. By doing so, you will create the right
conditions for peace with man and God as Zacchaeus did. Make
the effort.
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