“Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.”
Luke 19:2-3 NKJV
As Jesus traveled through Jericho—a city that signified the shift from promise to possession—we meet Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. Luke underscores two facts: his wealth and his position. Both made him powerful, yet neither made him admired. His riches had not won him honor but contempt.
The scene echoes what had just unfolded in the preceding chapter. Jesus told of a Pharisee who exalted his own works, contrasted with a tax collector who humbled himself and went home justified (Luke 18:9–14). Shortly afterward, Jesus encountered a rich young ruler who trusted his possessions and left unchanged (Luke 18:18–23). These snapshots remind us that wealth in itself is never the issue—it is the heart that determines whether riches become a burden or a blessing.
Zacchaeus enters the story as one who was both wealthy and scorned. Unlike the young ruler, he had no illusions about his standing. He was not coming to justify himself; he already knew he was viewed as corrupt and despised. Yet something drew him toward Jesus, something beyond status or gain. As Jesus taught, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44).
This tension between wealth, reputation, and the stirrings of the heart invites us to reflect. Jesus had warned, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25). His words reach deeper than material possessions. They confront the deeper satisfaction people take in themselves—in their accomplishments, their standing, or their security apart from God.
For us, the question is similar: do our resources serve as evidence of self-reliance, or do they become instruments of grace? Wealth and legacy, rightly viewed, are less about accumulation and more about alignment. They reflect whether our hearts rest in ourselves or in the Lord who entrusted us with what we hold.
Heart Principles for Stewardship and Legacy
- Wealth Reveals, It Does Not Redeem
Zacchaeus’ riches revealed much about how he lived, but they could not redeem his reputation or his soul. Similarly, our resources reveal our priorities, but redemption comes only from Christ.
- The Heart Determines the Outcome
The Pharisee and the young ruler both approached God with confidence in themselves—and left unchanged. The despised tax collector approached in humility—and went home justified. Legacy begins with what is written on the heart before it ever reaches the hands.
- True Inheritance Is Spiritual Before It Is Material
Zacchaeus’ story points us to the greater inheritance of grace. Any plans for our resources should flow from that reality: what we pass on must not only sustain, but also point beyond ourselves.
In Zacchaeus we see the difference between wealth as self-satisfaction and wealth as something surrendered. Estate and legacy decisions are not primarily about dividing assets but about revealing the posture of the heart.
When Christ redirects the heart, even riches once tainted by corruption can become part of a testimony of redemption. And when our hearts are aligned with Him, what we leave behind becomes more than material—it becomes a reflection of faith, humility, and grace. Amen.
