The little man in this Sunday ’s Gospel was willing to put aside his pride by climbing a sycamore tree to simply get a glimpse of Jesus. A person of wealth and status, Zaccheus’ actions would have been considered highly unusual by his peers. Yet, Zaccheus’ desire to meet Jesus was so strong he did not care what others thought of him. What mattered was that he met the King.
We, like Zaccheus, live in a world dominated by public opinion. In the media, we constantly hear about others’ thoughts and feelings concerning their neighbors. Some contemporary media figures are brashly outspoken, being outrageously brutal in their views. In sharing these with the world, they contribute to destroying the reputations of their opponents. These judgments are hurtful and sometimes inaccurate. The worst kind of rumor-spreading is calumny, or the deliberate attempt of one to hurt another through lying.
We cannot help but sometimes wonder what others think of us. Yet, in matters of faith, we cannot allow others’ opinions to prevent us from believing in the Lord and living our faith. As the years pass, it seems apparent that Christianity itself becomes less and less popular with modern public opinion. In truth, however, the Christian faith has often been at odds with mainstream society through the centuries. Indeed, as Christians, we are set apart. We are not like the majority.
The example of Zaccheus teaches us that the important thing is meeting Jesus, not fitting in. Others’ opinions of us cannot save us. Yet, our friendship with Jesus can. The more we put knowing the Lord and living our faith first, the closer we come to enjoying the fullness of eternal life with Him forever.
Let us allow our desire for Jesus to be strong and to guide all that we do.