Bible Verse: But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:8-10 NIV
Scripture Reading: John 4:1-28; Acts 9:1-20; Luke 19:1-10
Our culture, unfortunately, encourages men to engage in momentary passions and conditional love, distracting them from truly experiencing the transformative love of Jesus.
May it not be so with us!
I’m so grateful that God’s love is not contingent on good behaviour or perfection. Rather, it’s a love that chooses to see past failures. It encounters us in the middle of our brokenness, offering wholeness and redemption.
When we look through the lens of Jesus’ transformative love, our scars remind us they are signs of restoration, and our weaknesses are changed into places of strength.
When we read about the Samaritan woman at the well who was an outcast in her community, overloaded by shame and rejection, we see Jesus engage with her right where she was (John 4:1-28). He offers her the chance to quench her deepest thirst with “living water.” Jesus didn’t condemn her; He accepted her, gave her hope, and changed her life forever.
Zacchaeus was a despised tax collector, but Jesus saw beyond the rough exterior to see someone in a tree who was searching for life change. It was a simple act on Jesus’ part to go and dine with Zacchaeus, but it created opportunity for transformation to happen. Just one encounter with the love of Jesus can change a greedy tax collector into a benevolent follower of Jesus.
The Apostle Paul, who was once known as Saul, a great persecutor of the early church, became the prolific writer of much of the New Testament. Jesus encountered Paul on his way to Damascus with a brilliant light, and in that moment, the trajectory of Paul’s life was forever changed.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His transformative love is available for us as men to gratefully receive, but also to generously give away to others.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to know Your love better. Love influences and changes people. Let it change me first, from the inside out, so I can influence the way You did. I receive Your love today and am committed to sharing it with others. Help me share it the way You have. Amen.
Reflection: How has the love of Jesus influenced you? How has the love of Jesus influenced others in your life? What are some ways to live out His love towards others?
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