Let Them. Let Him. A Life-Changing Pursuit
In Luke 19, Zacchaeus shows us what the pursuit of Christ looks like in an honest, raw way. He is described in Scripture as a short man. No matter how tall you may be, I think we can all agree that we’ve come up short in some area of life. We all have shortcomings. Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We’ve all sinned—fallen short in our character, relationships, or faith.
In addition to being short, Zacchaeus was a tax collector known for overtaxing people to build his own wealth. He may have been mocked growing up because of his stature, but now he had power, money, and prestige. He was distinguished, yet still despised. His bank account was full, but his life was empty.
On this particular day, Zacchaeus was surrounded by people yet deeply alone. Sound familiar? You show up to work, school, or even church, and no one really knows who you are—because if they did, would they still love you? When we feel this way, we keep people at arm’s length, not letting them in, covering up our hurts, habits, and hang-ups in hopes of measuring up to the expectations around us—pursuing people through performance. But often, the opposite occurs. Our inability to be authentic pushes people away, leaving us isolated and unable to see a clear path forward.
Zacchaeus heard Jesus was coming but was too short to see over the crowd, with no friends to help him through. But rather than giving up, he refused to let his limitations hold him back. He may have been too short to see, but he was desperate enough to climb a sycamore tree. Think about it—a grown man, risking ridicule, all to see Jesus.
That’s real pursuit. That’s the right pursuit. Not just trying, but refusing to stop until you experience Jesus. It might mean worshiping boldly, sharing your faith, choosing God’s ways, being honest, confessing a shortcoming, joining a small group, or stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s caring less about how you look to other people and more about your relationship with Jesus.
Then came the moment that changed everything: Jesus stopped, looked up, and called Zacchaeus by his name, which means “clean” or “pure.” He didn’t call out Zacchaeus’ past—He called out his potential. This echoes James 4:8: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
Likewise, pursuing Jesus requires embracing the identity He gives us. Ephesians 4:24 says, “Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” That means shedding insecurities and believing the truth of who God says we are, no matter what the voices around us say. You are not the worst thing you’ve done or the worst thing that’s been done to you.
But transformation doesn’t always sit well with others. The crowd grumbled when Jesus chose to dine with Zacchaeus. Yet Zacchaeus didn’t defend himself—he responded to their hate by speaking directly with Jesus about the matter.
How often do we waste our time trying to defend our character? Let them. Let them talk. Let them think whatever they like. But also, LET HIM. Let God fight for you. Let God transform your heart. Let God’s grace strengthen your resolve to reflect His glory, not your past.
Zacchaeus declared to Jesus that he would give half his possessions to the poor and repay those he had wronged four times over—not to earn their approval, but out of the approval and new identity he had received in Jesus.
Pursuing Jesus means climbing our own sycamore trees—risking vulnerability and rejection for a real encounter with Him. It means receiving a new identity that is founded in a relationship with God through His Word, prayer, faith, and obedience.
Like Zacchaeus, let’s do whatever it takes to see Jesus, be transformed by His love, and live out that transformation.
Let them. Let Him. And let your pursuit of Christ change everything.
