He would like to know you

"Jesus, having entered Jericho, was passing through the city. And behold, a rich man called Zacchaeus, chief of the publicans, sought to see who Jesus was ; but he could not do it because of the crowd, because he was small. He ran forward, and went up to a sycamore to see him, because he had to go through there" (Luke 19: 1-4).

There are "Zacchaeus" around you. You must be aware of it. People who, like Zacchaeus, seek "to see you". They can look through the curtains of a window, a glass mirror, your Facebook page... seeking to know you.

They do not show themselves, so it is not necessarily easy to know, or understand, that they are seeking to know you. They may be shy, or feel inferior, and may even appear to be running away. But they would love to know you and what you have. Because, in fact, they know you have something they do not have. Maybe their soul does not understand it, but their minds know it.

The reaction of the carnal Christian (who lives in the flesh, in the senses) will be to avoid such a person. After all, Zacchaeus is small, insignificant. He has nothing to bring us. And yet it is to him that the Lord calls us to go, because, "If you love those who love you, what reward do you deserve ? Do not publicans do the same ? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing extraordinary ? Do not pagans do the same ?" (Matthew 5: 46-47).

Perhaps you could decide to greet him, to say hello to him, to get to know each other, even if it seems to you that you have to "break the ice" and that it seems difficult.

Zacchaeus would like to know you, so do something for that. Make an effort, something you are not used to doing, maybe even a "social" effort that makes you uncomfortable.

Jeremy Sourdril