Once upon a bright and sunny day, Jesus was walking through a busy town called Jericho. The sun smiled warmly, and the birds sang happy songs. Many people gathered to see Jesus because they had heard about His kind heart and wonderful miracles.
Among the crowd was a man named Zacchaeus. He was very short, and because of this, he could not see over the heads of the tall people. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. That means he collected money from people to give to the government. But many people did not like him because he often took more money than he should. This made Zacchaeus feel lonely and sad inside.
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus very much. He wondered, “Who is this Jesus? Why do people love Him so much?” But the crowd was so big that Zacchaeus could not see Jesus at all. He thought for a moment, then he had a clever idea!
He ran ahead and climbed up a big, leafy sycamore tree. The branches were soft and green, like a big, cozy chair. From up there, Zacchaeus could see Jesus very clearly. Jesus was walking closer, smiling and talking to the people.
When Jesus looked up at the tree, He saw Zacchaeus sitting there. Jesus smiled and said, “Zacchaeus, come down! I want to stay at your house today.” Zacchaeus’s heart jumped with joy. He hurried down the tree, feeling like the happiest man in the world.
The crowd was surprised. They whispered, “Why is Jesus going to Zacchaeus’s house? He is a tax collector!” But Jesus knew that He came to love everyone, even those who felt lonely or made mistakes.
At Zacchaeus’s house, Jesus showed him kindness and love. Zacchaeus felt so happy that he said, “Lord, I will give half of my things to the poor. And if I have taken anything from someone that is not fair, I will give it back four times more!” Zacchaeus’s heart was full of joy and change.
Jesus smiled and said, “Today, salvation has come to this house because Zacchaeus has believed in me.” Zacchaeus learned that Jesus loves us no matter what, and He can help us be better and happy inside.
The sun began to set, painting the sky with pink and orange colors. Zacchaeus felt like a new man, shining bright like the evening stars. He knew Jesus was his true friend forever.
Questions to think about
- Why did Zacchaeus climb the tree?
- How did Jesus show love to Zacchaeus?
- What did Zacchaeus decide to do after meeting Jesus?
- How do you think Zacchaeus felt when Jesus came to his house?
- What can you do if you want to be a better friend like Zacchaeus?
Message of the story
God loves everyone, even if they have made mistakes. When we meet Jesus, He helps us change and fills our hearts with joy and love.
Bible passage
Luke 19:1-10
Luke 19:1-10 (ICB)
Jesus was going through Jericho. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector. He was rich.
Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was, but he could not because he was short. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus.
When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw Zacchaeus. He said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly. I must stay at your house today.”
Zacchaeus came down quickly and was happy to have Jesus in his house.
The people saw this and began to complain, *“Jesus is going to be the guest of a sinner
