Have you ever felt overlooked or misunderstood? Maybe you’ve been judged by your past mistakes or current struggles. If so, you are not alone. In fact, there’s a story in the Bible about a man who probably felt the same way – until he had an encounter with Jesus that changed everything.

The Story of Zacchaeus: More Than Just a “Wee Little Man”

You might remember Zacchaeus from the children’s song: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he…” But there’s so much more to his story than his height. When we look at Luke 19:1-10, we can see what really happened.

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in Jericho, and he was rich. In those days, tax collectors were seen as traitors who worked for the oppressive Roman government. They often became wealthy by overcharging people and pocketing the difference. Needless to say, Zacchaeus wasn’t winning any popularity contests in his hometown.

But something amazing happened when Jesus came to town.

“He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way (CSB).” Luke 19:3-4


There was something about Jesus that drew Zacchaeus in. He didn’t care about looking foolish or undignified – he just had to see Jesus. This tells us something important: There is something irresistible about Jesus. Even people who seem far from God are drawn to Him when they encounter the real Jesus.

Seen by the Savior

But the story doesn’t end there. Luke 19:5 says, “When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house (CSB).”‘

Imagine how Zacchaeus must have felt in that moment. Here was a man who was used to being overlooked or despised by others. But Jesus saw him. Really saw him. Not only that, Jesus wanted to spend time with him!

This is a powerful reminder for us today: Jesus sees you. No matter what you’ve done or what others think of you, Jesus sees the real you and wants a relationship with you.

Religious Comparison vs. Relational Inclusion

Of course, not everyone was happy about Jesus’ choice of dinner companion. Luke 19:7 tells us, “All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man (CSB).”‘

These people were caught up in “the comparison game.” They thought they were more deserving of Jesus’ attention than Zacchaeus. But Jesus didn’t play by their rules. This is where we truly start to see that religion was used as a system of exclusion, but Jesus used relationship as a pathway to inclusion.

The beautiful thing about this story is that Zacchaeus’ life was transformed by his encounter with Jesus. He didn’t clean up his act first and then come to Jesus. Instead, experiencing Jesus’ love and acceptance led him to want to make things right. He declared, ” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much (CSB).” (Luke 19:8)

Jesus’ response? “Today salvation has come to this house (CSB).” (Luke 19:9)


So, what does all this mean for us today? Jesus summed it up perfectly: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost (CSB).” (Luke 19:10) That’s why He came, and that’s how He sees people – as those in need of His love and salvation.

Life Application: Putting on Jesus’ Glasses

As we go about our daily lives, let’s try to see people as Jesus sees them. Here are some practical steps we can take:

1. Remember that everyone is either a sinner saved by Jesus or a sinner Jesus is seeking to save.
2. Look past outward appearances and reputations to see the person Jesus loves.
3. Be willing to befriend “sinners” just as Jesus did.
4. Ask God to help you see yourself and others through His eyes of love and grace.

When we start seeing people as Jesus sees them, it changes everything. We become less judgmental and more compassionate. We’re more willing to reach out to those others might overlook. And in doing so, we become more like the One who climbed down from heaven to seek and save the lost – including us.

This blog post was adapted by Molly Atkins from ClearView Baptist Church’s sermon by Family Pastor Jonathan Espy on September 29, 2024. To watch the full sermon, click HERE.