But what if there are no stories?

There was a stir down the road, so he went out to see what it was all about.

The rabbi was coming to town. He had heard of this Jesus of Nazareth, and there was something about him that attracted him...

He was a short man, and not well liked by the townspeople. He was the tax collector. In those days, Jewish tax collectors were regarded as traitors: they took your money and gave it to the captors, the Romans.

When Jesus walked by, the crowd was so thick the short man couldn't see him. So he climbed atop a tree, to the askance glances of the people around him.

Look at that fool! And they jeered at him.

But Jesus saw him and asked if he could eat at his house ... "This day, salvation has come to your house," Jesus said ... "yes, even you are a son of Abraham..."

* * * * * *

A nobody, a common man, pressed through to Jesus. And a story for the ages emerged.

If we have the eagerness to press through to Jesus, setting what others think aside, there will for sure be stories to tell as well.

Logos2Go

Matthew 11.12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

Luke 19.1-9 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”