{"id":44879,"date":"2025-02-16T12:31:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-16T12:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gloireadieu.com\/english\/?p=44879"},"modified":"2025-02-16T12:32:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-16T12:32:26","slug":"love-for-the-sinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gloireadieu.com\/english\/blog\/love-for-the-sinner.html","title":{"rendered":"Love for the Sinner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cZacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.\u201d\u00a0 Luke 19:5b<\/strong><\/p>\n

What joy Zacchaeus had at receiving this invitation from our Lord.\u00a0 There are three things to note in this encounter.<\/p>\n

First, Zacchaeus was seen by many as a sinner.\u00a0 He was a tax collector and, therefore, was not respected by the people.\u00a0 There is little doubt that this would have affected Zacchaeus and been a temptation for him to see himself as unworthy of Jesus\u2019 compassion.\u00a0 But Jesus came precisely for the sinner.\u00a0 Therefore, truth be told, Zacchaeus was the perfect \u201ccandidate\u201d for the mercy and compassion of Jesus.<\/p>\n

Second, when Zacchaeus witnessed that Jesus came to him and selected him out of everyone present to be the one to spend time with, he was overjoyed!\u00a0 The same must be true with us.\u00a0 Jesus<\/a> does pick us and He does want to be with us.\u00a0 If we allow ourselves to see this, the natural result will be joy.\u00a0 Do you have joy at this knowledge?<\/p>\n

Third, as a result of Jesus\u2019 compassion, Zacchaeus changed his life.\u00a0 He committed to giving half his possessions to the poor and to repay four times over anyone he had previously cheated.\u00a0 This is a sign that Zacchaeus began to discover true riches.\u00a0 He began to immediately repay to others the kindness and compassion shown to him by Jesus.<\/p>\n

Reflect, today, upon Zacchaeus and see yourself in his person.\u00a0 You, too, are a sinner.\u00a0 But God\u2019s compassion is far more powerful than any sin.\u00a0 Let His loving forgiveness and acceptance of you overshadow any guilt you may feel.\u00a0 And allow the gift of His mercy to produce mercy and compassion in your own life for others.<\/p>\n

Lord, I turn to You in my sin and beg for Your mercy and compassion.\u00a0 Thank You in advance for showering Your mercy upon me.\u00a0 May I receive that mercy with great joy and, in turn, may I shower Your mercy upon others.\u00a0 Jesus, I trust in You.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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