Habakkuk and Zacchaeus
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 Luke 19:1-10
Habakkuk and Zacchaeus, now that is quite a pair. We know very little about either one of them although we are more familiar with Zacchaeus. About all we know about Habakkuk is that he was a prophet in the southern
When I first read the lessons I could not figure out if there was a common thread tying them together. The only thing the two men appeared to have in common was their height. We are told that Zacchaeus was small of stature and there are some who believe that the name Habakkuk is a derivative from the Arabic "hibhkatun" meaning "dwarf". I really don't think the people who put the lectionary together had people who were vertically challenged in mind when they linked these two passages.
Habakkuk was upset because good people were suffering and evil people were prospering and he wanted to know when God was going to do something about it. Zacchaeus was a rich person who was interested in finding out more about Jesus. But what did they have in common?
And then all of a sudden, like a lightening bolt from heaven, it struck me. Actually it was not that dramatic. But what I realized was that both men were climbers. Habakkuk climbed the watch tower and Zacchaeus climbed a tree. Have you noticed that when people want to get closer to God they ascend? You never read about someone going down in the valley to communicate with God. They always go up on the mountain. I assume we do that because we think the higher we go the closer we are to heaven.
Something else they have in common is that both men are seeking God. One wants to know when God is going to do something about the injustices in the world. He wants to know why good people suffer and bad people prosper and when God is going to do something about it. Habakkuk acknowledges that there is evil in the world but is looking for a deeper meaning, a hidden clue to help him understand God's plan. He wants God to answer for God's behavior.
Zacchaeus seems to have a guilty conscience. He just might have been one of those bad people who is prospering and he was not comfortable with that. He has heard about this man Jesus and thinks that Jesus may be able to help him.
What is interesting is the response that each man receives. Habakkuk is told to trust God. Be patient. God has a vision for the world that will be worked out. Habakkuk is not told the contents of the vision, only that it may be slow in taking place. It cannot be rushed or delayed. But it will surely come.
On the other hand, Zacchaeus did not have to wait long. He receives an immediate reply. "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay in your house today."
They both receive answers but the answers are very different. Habakkuk, wait, the vision will become reality. Zacchaeus, "today salvation has come to this house."
The truth of the matter is that on some days we are more like Habakkuk and on other days we are more like Zacchaeus. On some days we are the faithful one, wondering why God doesn't do something about the injustice in the world. On other days everything we touch turns to gold. It is obvious what God wants us to do. God is in heaven and all is right with the world. But those days do not last forever. We go through times of loss and helplessness and waiting. What does it mean to wait on God during those times?
One of the things I wondered is if I am seeking the wisdom of God as I try to wrestle with the difficult questions of life. Both of these men were struggling with questions and they were determined to hear what God had to say. One appears to be someone who had been faithful all of his life who is having a difficult time reconciling the fact that unfaithful people seem to be doing quite well in life. The other man appears to be a relative newcomer to the faith. The faithful man is told to keep on being faithful, the newcomer is told that salvation has come to his house. But the question for me is whether or not I listen for a word from God.
The second question I have is this, if the answer is not what I want to hear, will I remain faithful. Would I be willing to wait for the vision to be fulfilled? If I ask God how long will I have to deal with a particular problem and God responds, the rest of your life but trust me, in the end you will be ok, would I remain faithful? Or would I give in to temptation and chase after the things of this world? If I was a newcomer to the faith would I be willing to give half of what I own to the poor?
It is one thing to look for a word from God. It is something else again to trust that word and be faithful to it especially if it is not what we want to hear.
It seems that there are several messages coming out of these passages today. Possibly we are being called to take time to climb the tower or the tree or the mountain and listen for a word from God. If we have already taken the time to listen for God's vision another possibility might be that we are being challenged to think about how we are using our gifts for the glory of God. A third possibility might be for someone going through a difficult time wondering why God doesn't do something to change the situation and wondering if God should be trusted even if the situation does not change.
God has a vision for the world. The vision will become reality and it will bring wholeness. It may not happen in the near future, there may be dry and desolate seasons ahead, but they too are a part of God's purpose and if we trust God it is possible that today salvation will come to this house.