If you have confessed Jesus as Saviour and Lord then you have confessed him as King. You have, by invitation, become citizens of the Kingdom. This Kingdom and her people are reflections of our glorious King, although not all of us have been taught or are living by these greater standards. It is important for us to look to our King for the example he has set so we know how to live by this new nature.
Jesus spent all his time overcoming the prejudices of his day. He demonstrated how important it is for Kingdom people to bring the "unseen" of this world into the "seen". The strong are to carry the weak. The privileged to lift up the disadvantaged. The acceptable to include the outcasts. And this not in a "looking down" attitude but a equalizing heart.
We have already looked at the touch of the leper, the choosing of Jesus' looked-down on friends and the "seeing" of women but one of the strangest encounters is that of Zacchaeus.
Jesus already demonstrated his view of the outcasts in this society when he chose Matthew, the tax collector, traitor to Israel, as his close companion and future leader. Jesus, God, has always been attracted to these unloved, rejected, hated, people of this society. This culture showed no value in these people which should warn us to be careful with the attitudes of our own culture.
We tend to place value on people similar to ourselves, who have something to offer, contributors, producers of something. We place value on a friendly and kind neighbour, on a caring and sacrificial nurse, on an understanding politician, on a powerful and rich person, on the successful people in our community. We de-value those who are different from us, who live contrary to acceptability, the welfare recipient, the single mom, the mentally ill, the complaining neighbour. As far as our society goes these are the non-contributors who are a drain on our society, so they have no value and are ill treated.
Here we have Zacchaeus, the chief of tax collectors, traitor to Israel, outcast, rejected, hated, whose heart is drawn to this man Jesus. He is curious. And short. The crowd is huge and no one is going to show kindness to the traitor. No one will make way so that he can see. So Zacchaeus climbs a tree so he can look and evaluate this man, Jesus.
I find it amazing, in that entire crowd Jesus singles out one man to honour, one man to bring into the light, one man to "see". He calls out to this man and invites himself to his house. That man had one desire, to be "seen". Jesus placed value on him and Zacchaeus' heart exploded in gratitude, generosity and repentance. What a friend we have in Jesus.
Of course the "seen" people of society did not agree. I am sure they had thoughts about this situation as Simon had about Mary : "If he knew what kind of man this is Jesus would have nothing to do with him." But Jesus did know. He knew and still he lift him up and showed him his value. The Kingdom's value system is far superior to this world's.
Prejudice exists well beyond skin colour, even though skin colour is the issue being addressed today. The real problem is with value. How do we measure a person? How do we determine value? The Kingdom values people simply because they are created by Father and are the objects of his love. Even if they reject him it does not change his love or his focus.
The Kingdom is about people, relationships, love and all its manifestations. It is about reconciliation and the relationship of creation and Creator. Those who accept the invitation of salvation are invited into the Kingdom and into the mission of our King. It is our purpose to live out the Royal Law, "Love and value your neighbourhood as you love and value yourself." Even if your neighbour is different from you, belongs to a different culture, hates you, considers you an enemy, is a non-contributer. Those things do not add or take away value. Value is determined by Father's love. There is no room for prejudice in love.
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