What is the tallest building in the world? According to Google, which never is wrong, it is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai at 2717 feet followed by the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai at 2073 feet. What wonderful feats of architecture to build something this tall and it stays standing. However , today’s first reading reminds us that before God, they are nothing. Before the infinite majesty of God who created everything, these buildings are mere ants and are insignificant. Those who had them built are filled with pride that because of these buildings, the world sees their affluence and their power. Before the endless mercy of God, these people are like dust in the wind (to quote the band Kansas) and their life span is a blip in human history.
In the eyes of God, no one is short or insignificant. We don’t even need to climb a tree for God to notice us. In the eyes of God, each of us is the tallest thing and the most precious creation he made. Think about it, God didn’t build the tallest building or create some extraordinary event to tell show how much we are loved. God became human, taking on all our frailty and imperfections except sin, to embody for us the immense mystery of Love. Why? In the eyes of God, no one is insignificant or not worth being loved.
I think the hardest part of faith is to accept this. Some of people get the message that they are not good enough to be loved. Others, because of sin or their actions, feel that they will never be forgiven or even worthy of forgiveness. Still others, feel that God is not important or because a prayer was not answered, they are insignificant or worse, that God never loved them enough to give them what they wanted. Like Zacchaeus, we think we can only hide in a tree and see Jesus, but, Jesus will never have anything to do with us.
How far from the truth that is. God’s love is as immense as the universe and deep as a bottomless well. God wants to dwell with us and invites us to open the doors of our lives to him. God desires to dwell within the house of our hearts. The reality Zacchaeus teaches us is that no matter where we hide, no matter what we have done in our life’s, God will find us and want to be in our lives, even we reject him or hide from him.
My brothers and sisters, the tallest buildings in the world will not last, the latest discovery or fad or technology is dust measured against the immensity of God. Jesus wants to dwell in your life right now, will you let him in or hide in the tree of fear and doubt?
