“Stand and Make It Right”
By Rev. Everett R. Kimble, Sr.
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. — John 19:8 ( KJV)
Wow, every time I read this verse I get the same feeling I had the first time I read it as a young boy. I am encouraged, empowered, curious, and overwhelmed. I am encouraged when I read how nothing could stop Zacchaeus for getting in position to meet Jesus. Empowered because he demonstrates how physical limitations are no excuse when it comes to reaching our destinations. Curious to know if any of those people, who had to have disliked Zacchaeus tried to hinder his mission and overwhelmed by the impact that night with Jesus had on his life. Just a little time with Jesus changed Zacchaeus and prompted him to do something completely out of character as he pledged to make things right. And here is my encouragement for you all today. What is haunting you is not your unwillingness to forgive, but your unwillingness to ask to be forgiven.
There are many scriptures and information out there teaching us how to forgive because forgiveness says more about us than it says about the other person. Forgiveness frees us and allows us to step out of our hurt and into our healing. But what happens when we realize that we are the hurtful ones. When we come face-to-face with the fact that much of what went or is wrong is because of us. If you have accepted Christ as your savior and realized He has forgiven you I am sure, just like me you have had a moment when you realized there is something or somethings you need to do to make things right. Too often we shrug that feeling off in hopes that we can move on and forget knowing that it is costing us relationships and causing many sleepless nights. Stop fighting and trust Jesus. Zacchaeus did. “8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
The scripture doesn’t say that he waned or waited, whined or whimpered. Zacchaeus stood there before Jesus and pledged to make things right which had very little to do with his relationship with many of the people he had hurt, but everything to do with his relationship with Jesus. Today, lean into your forgiveness, set out to fix whatever God is prompting you to fix and trust that he will guide you through.
Have a blessed, faithful and forgiven Friday.
