A Tree Climbing Adventure

Today's Verses -- Luke 19:1-9

Context:
Continuation of Wednesday's text (sorry, I didn't post yesterday).

Text:
1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

What is the most famous person you have ever met? Have you ever done something that felt kind of foolish (like climbing a tree) in order to see someone? I've had the chance to see George W. Bush and Jamie Farr from across the room, but I didn't feel any obligation to knock other people over to shake their hands. I do admit that I've half dragged, half carried children across a Disney park to get their picture taken with the character Stitch, though!

Did you seek out Jesus with the same energy Zacchaeus did? And it seems that Jesus sought him out with equal fervor! Jesus knew the potential Zacchaeus held. I can't remember any other story in the Bible that showed such a significant voluntary change of heart (Paul changed significantly, but Jesus sought him out first).

I wonder how many people turned to Jesus when they saw Zacchaeus arriving to repay four fold the money he had cheated them out of? Were people able to see the change in your life due to your encounter with Christ?