A
very wealthy chief tax collector named Zaccheaus wanted to see Jesus. But he
had a challenge. Multitudes always thronged around Jesus and because Zacchaeus
was of short stature, it would be a herculean task to see Jesus standing.
Despite the challenge, Zacchaeus was undaunted. He was determined to see Jesus
and no one would stop him. So he put his creative juices to task to come up
with the best possible way of seeing Jesus despite his height advantage. He
spotted a sycamore tree ahead, quickly ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up
into the tree just so he could see Jesus.
God
noticed and Jesus also noticed for it was not a coincidence that Jesus looked
up at the tree and saw Zacchaeus. Jesus also asked Zacchaeus to hurry up and
come down from the tree so that He would visit with Zaccheaus. The Bible
records that Zacchaeus hastily came down from the tree, received Jesus joyfully
and most importantly, Zaccheaus received salvation. What constituted a
challenge that could have hindered his divine encounter with Jesus actually
turned out to be a stepping stone as Zaccheaus creatively navigated his way out
of it. His strategic position on top of the tree made him a city set on a hill
that cannot be hidden. Please see Matthew Chapter 5 verse 14. Jesus saw him, the
multitudes saw him and he became the cynosure of all eyes when Jesus asked him
to come down from the tree so He could visit with him.
The
Biblical Queen Esther was orphaned at a young age; was raised by an older male
cousin. Esther thus grew up without any female guidance – no older woman to
instruct her in the ways of women such as how to care for and beautify a woman
and how to attract a husband and look after one. Despite these setbacks, her
older cousin asked Esther to enter in and compete for the New Queen contest. Additionally,
Esther was neither a Mede nor a Persian yet she obeyed her cousin Mordecai and
participated in the search for a new queen contest. Significantly, Esther had
no human leverages. But she was wise enough to depend on God, to obey her older
cousin’s instructions not to divulge her race to anyone. God favored Esther and
she emerged the Queen; and also used the position to accomplish the plans and
purposes of God for her life and the Jews. In so doing, God made Esther
standout.
You
can also stand out if you choose to look at the positive side of what negatives
you think life has thrown you. It may not be mathematically right to multiply
and compound negatives but is
spiritually right to hand over the negatives to God so that God Who always
knows what to do will turn the negatives into positives that you easily
multiply and compound as was the case with Jabez. It is neither too early nor
too late to start. Now is the appointed
time to favor Zion. Shalom.
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