We Presbyterians are highly trained polity people. We try to be practical and most of all, biblical. But Zacchaeus, in the gospel of Luke, teaches us an important lesson as a Christian who experienced vast love and acceptance: we should be willing to try something unthinkable. Something impractical. Unacceptable. Something past where we draw the limit of where we are willing to go. Something we’ve delayed many times.
We’re prudent people. We don’t make decisions easily, carelessly. We delay the process, postpone the sederunt. We don’t want to waste money. We’re trying to be honest, frank, diligent.
I’m impressed and blessed by the structure, system and protection we have. We’re not used to making mistakes, especially from unpreparedness. We don’t like the unexpected; something surprising.
Zacchaeus was not a Presbyterian.
If Zacchaeus did what he said he would do—give half his money to the church, and pay restitution to those he had cheated—he would be left with nothing.
I think he made a conscious decision. He knew he’d be in red ink. But he did it with joy and happiness. Why? Because he had experienced life in abundance. He had seen the marvelous love and grace of God.
Maybe we get caught up by our almost perfect system. Our own tradition. Our norms and standards and ways of doing things.
—from Rev. Cheol Soon Park’s sermon at the assembly’s opening worship, June 7th, 2009, at Redeemer University, Hamilton, Ont. Park was moderator of the 134th
General Assembly.
