"Zacchaeus, come down immediately.I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly." Luke 19 vs 5

 

As Jesus entered Jericho he passes by Zacchaeus sitting up on the tree, and he knows that this man is lost. Now there are many ways he could have approached this if he wanted this man to know God and turn his life around, and I am sure you might  recognise some approaches in the name of Christianity today. He could have sermonised at him pointing out the error of his ways, he could have invited him to listen to some preaching. He could have laid bare the horror of what might happen were he not to change his ways, but none of these were his approach.

 

Instead he called him by his name and told him he would come to his house, these are acts of love, these acts told Zacchaeus that he was valued and loved by Christ, loved enough for Christ to come to him to meet him where he was and give him what he probably longed for, self worth. It was a truly loving act which reached Zacchaeus more than any fancy words or evangelical sermonising  ever would and immediately he responds. Would that we be so loving in our approaches.