"Climbing a Tree to Sneak a Peek" by the Rev. Dr. Kristofer Lindh-Payne

St. Francis Spiritual Sustenance : October 25, 2022 ======================================

In today’s video Kristofer, invites us to climb a tree with Zacchaeus, the tax collector, as he seeks to catch a glimpse of Jesus as he comes into town. Though Kristofer is prone to all sorts of antics, don’t worry the invitation is not literal, but instead an opportunity to imaginatively consider what it looks like to sneak a peek at what God is up to in our individual and common lives together. It's likely been a long while since you climbed a tree, but perhaps you can remember the amazing views that are possible from that higher ground. Can you feel the excitement of Zacchaeus that prompted him to do such an undignified thing for an adult? As you reflect on God’s presence in our lives together at St. Francis - past, present, and future - what makes you excited about what you see in your mind’s eye? As you consider God’s call to you, how willing are you to look foolish in order to be faithful? What joy is possible for us too, when God calls us to come down from the limb in which we’ve climbed out on and meet Christ face to face?!

The scripture passage that Kristofer refers to is the assigned reading for the coming Sunday. See below for a portion of the text: 

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." (Luke 19:1-5)