Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE JUST BROWSING

I love Craigslist. Why? For starters, it's free. No fee to post, buy or sell. On top of that, it gives me the chance to get stuff out of my garage without sending it to the landfill. And buying gently used things saves money and is a good practice of self-discipline for me. But mostly- I like Craigslist because I can browse all I want without crowds, sales people or pressure. And I like to browse. How about you? Enjoy a stroll through a car lot, an open house or your favorite store with no agenda or shopping list? Not only is browsing an enjoyable way to spend some free time, but it can also lead us into a turning point.

A LITTLE CURIOSITY
Some of us find God not as the result of a huge quest or search, but simply because we were a little curious. That's what happened to a man named Zacchaeus anyway. Jesus was passing through his town and Zacchaeus just wanted a peek at the Rabbi who was causing such a stir. Maybe he wanted to see if Jesus looked anything like the mental image he had painted of him. Unable to get a front row seat, Zacchaeus' curiousity drives him to higher ground.

BEYOND BROWSING
The story would have ended there (or probably never ended up in scripture) if it wasn't for what happened next. Jesus engaged this lookie-lou. Jesus noticed the man. Called him by name. Honored Zaccheaus by offering to spend time with him. And suddenly, Zacchaeus was something more than curious. He was engaged. He was taking Jesus home for dinner.

I WASN'T PLANNING ON THAT
I have a friend who flips houses for a living. A few months back he finished a total renovation on a house built in the 1920's. Then he noticed that a house across the street was going to be auctioned off. My friend decided to swing by and see what the house sold for. Figured it would give him a good comp for what he had invested in his flip. A couple days later I asked him how the auction went. He told me that he bought the house and went on to explain that he hadn't intended to buy it, but no one else bid- so he jumped in and took it. Sounds like the kind of thing that happened to Zacchaeus. After spending some time with Jesus, he makes a decision.

To some of us, this decision might seem rash. But give Zacchaeus credit- he's started to believe in Jesus and did something about it. While I'm prone to think that decisions ought to be well planned and researched, Zacchaeus grabbed the opportunity in front of him. According to Jesus, this kind of faith is impressive and destiny changing.

REFLECTING:
Q: Do you like to browse? Where? What for?

Q: Zacchaeus climbed a tree to get a look at Jesus. What have you done to explore your own wonderings about faith?

Q: What could Jesus' people learn from Jesus about the way He engages Zacchaeus?

Q: How has Jesus engaged you? What happened to move you beyond "just browsing" when it came to God/Church/Jesus?

Q: What do you think of Zacchaeus' quick decision? How does it compare in your mind to what happened with the Rich Young Ruler?

Q: Are you "just browsing" in some part of your relationship with Jesus? What step of action could you take to express your faith right now?