(by pastor Jean)
We read about Zacchaeus in Luke chapter 19:1-10. Zacchaeus was a tax collector and one that cheated the people so we can assume he wasn’t a very popular person! However, that didn’t seem to bother Jesus because He decided to pay Zaccheus a visit. Whatever happened during that visit caused a complete transformation in Zaccheus because as a result he offered to give away half his possessions to the poor and he also offered to pay back those he had cheated four times as much. As a result of this Jesus declared salvation over Zaccheus and his whole household. That time spent with Jesus had a powerful effect on Zaccheus and he became a cheerful giver (see 2 Cor 9:7). It seems that money lost its hold on him and he was able to release it liberally and, “abound to every good work” (2 Cor 9:8,9). The Bible teaches us that when we give God gives back to us, “For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap (Gal 6:7) (See also Luke 6:38). Proverbs 11:24 tells us, “Give freely and become more wealthy” (NLT). We serve a giving God and the theme of giving runs through the whole Bible, God loves us so much that he gave us His only Son (John 3:16). Let’s be open-handed with our money and possessions, let’s be doers of the word and in the process, we will be blessed!