March 10, 2005
Rabbit-Hole Christians
Read:
Luke 19:1-10
Jesus . . . said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." -Luke 19:5
Bible In One Year: Deuteronomy 32-34
Rabbits are timid creatures that pop out of their holes every morning, try to avoid everything (except other rabbits), eat their food, and jump back into their holes in the evening. "Whew! We made it through another day," they'd say if they could talk.
Rabbit-hole Christians are a lot like that. They eat lunch with other Christians at work and relate almost exclusively with fellow-believers in their church. They avoid socializing with unbelievers and wouldn't think of accepting an invitation to one of their parties. No wonder unbelievers equate being a Christian with a kind of aloof self-righteousness.
No one could say that about Jesus. He actually invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus, a notorious tax collector. His congeniality among disreputable people earned Him the title of "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Matthew 11:19). He reached out to such people because He knew He couldn't help them without becoming their friend. Jesus never said anything He shouldn't have said, nor did He laugh at off-color stories. He won people's respect by caring for them.
Jesus has equipped us with the Holy Spirit and assured us that He'll be with us so we can follow His example. Let's guard against being rabbit-hole Christians. -Herb Vander Lugt
So people clearly see
Reflections of Your caring heart,
Your love and purity. -Sper
Jesus leaves us in the world to be a witness to the world.
The Compassion Of Jesus