Loosed based on: Luke 19:1-10 - Zacchaeus
Hello!!
My name is Mehida. Okay - you haven't heard of me (and in reality, my name is quasi made up - there is a Mehida in the Bible, but not here).
You see, I am (oops - was) a tax collector and a friend of Zacchaeus. For some strange reason (no, not a strange reason, God was calling out to Zacchaeus through the Holy Spirit), Zacchaeus stopped working early the day Jesus came to town.
As a tax collector, we had different areas. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in our area. He 'handled' the merchants, shops and major land owners. He was very successful. In our business, the Romans expected a certain amount, but all of us (or almost all of us) intimidated, harassed and cajoled people to pay a higher amount. Some (like Zacchaeus) were very good at that - and also negotiated with the Romans for better (i.e. lower) rates.
For me, I was rising nicely in the establishment. Yes, I was a Jew - but ... let's be honest ... other than some token following of Passover and some of the dietary rules, I was a pretty lax Jew. My area was some of the smaller businesses and smaller farms in the area. Basically, I got the acreages and businesses outside of town, so I had to walk more and maybe had less clout as I couldn't call on the Roman garrison as much.
Zacchaeus and the other tax collectors (including myself) frequently gathered at the inns and enjoyed too much wine. He had a way of getting the best (and most potent) wines from the major vineyards. These gatherings were almost like training sessions as Zacchaeus and others talked about how they had extorted larger amounts of tax amounts (and how they hid the amounts from the Romans).
So, when I heard that Zacchaeus had stopped working that day and gone to see Jesus, I was interested. So, I followed him. I had heard of Jesus - but had dismissed him as another Rabbi telling us to give to the poor, follow the Mosaic laws and tithe our earnings. So, what was this that caused Zacchaeus to go here this Jesus guy.
You know the story, Zacchaeus is short, so he climbed a tree so he could see Jesus. Somehow Jesus stopped and directly talked to Jesus - just like he KNEW what was in Zacchaeus' heart (and I believe he did KNOW what was in Zacchaeus' heart). You know the scripture: "“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” But, you don't know what he did next - he looked straight at me and say "And you too Mehida". I could have melted on the spot. Somehow (again, I think it was the Holy Spirit leading me along).
That day, my life changed. After dinner (which was so personal and so deep - Jesus did look right through me), I went home and wept for hours. In the morning, I went over my records. I found the amounts that I had cheated people - and that day started back to my accounts to give the people refunds. Some were so amazed and so grateful. They asked 'why' and I got to talk about Jesus - and many of these followed Him as well. Others were sceptical - "why are you doing this? Are the Romans harassing you?" There were five accounts that I couldn't settle as the account holder had died and the property changed hands. The money from these accounts I quietly gave funds to various support groups - to widows, to orphans, and to the needy.
I stayed a tax collector for several years after that -but was known as the 'fair' tax collector.
After Jesus' resurrection, I was an active part of the early Christian movement. I was jailed a few times for my beliefs. Eventually I ended up in Asia Minor as an evangelist in my senior years.
My story illustrates that there were many of us 'lesser' people that were affected (and believed) by Jesus!!!
As a tax collector, we had different areas. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in our area. He 'handled' the merchants, shops and major land owners. He was very successful. In our business, the Romans expected a certain amount, but all of us (or almost all of us) intimidated, harassed and cajoled people to pay a higher amount. Some (like Zacchaeus) were very good at that - and also negotiated with the Romans for better (i.e. lower) rates.
For me, I was rising nicely in the establishment. Yes, I was a Jew - but ... let's be honest ... other than some token following of Passover and some of the dietary rules, I was a pretty lax Jew. My area was some of the smaller businesses and smaller farms in the area. Basically, I got the acreages and businesses outside of town, so I had to walk more and maybe had less clout as I couldn't call on the Roman garrison as much.
Zacchaeus and the other tax collectors (including myself) frequently gathered at the inns and enjoyed too much wine. He had a way of getting the best (and most potent) wines from the major vineyards. These gatherings were almost like training sessions as Zacchaeus and others talked about how they had extorted larger amounts of tax amounts (and how they hid the amounts from the Romans).
So, when I heard that Zacchaeus had stopped working that day and gone to see Jesus, I was interested. So, I followed him. I had heard of Jesus - but had dismissed him as another Rabbi telling us to give to the poor, follow the Mosaic laws and tithe our earnings. So, what was this that caused Zacchaeus to go here this Jesus guy.
You know the story, Zacchaeus is short, so he climbed a tree so he could see Jesus. Somehow Jesus stopped and directly talked to Jesus - just like he KNEW what was in Zacchaeus' heart (and I believe he did KNOW what was in Zacchaeus' heart). You know the scripture: "“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” But, you don't know what he did next - he looked straight at me and say "And you too Mehida". I could have melted on the spot. Somehow (again, I think it was the Holy Spirit leading me along).
That day, my life changed. After dinner (which was so personal and so deep - Jesus did look right through me), I went home and wept for hours. In the morning, I went over my records. I found the amounts that I had cheated people - and that day started back to my accounts to give the people refunds. Some were so amazed and so grateful. They asked 'why' and I got to talk about Jesus - and many of these followed Him as well. Others were sceptical - "why are you doing this? Are the Romans harassing you?" There were five accounts that I couldn't settle as the account holder had died and the property changed hands. The money from these accounts I quietly gave funds to various support groups - to widows, to orphans, and to the needy.
I stayed a tax collector for several years after that -but was known as the 'fair' tax collector.
After Jesus' resurrection, I was an active part of the early Christian movement. I was jailed a few times for my beliefs. Eventually I ended up in Asia Minor as an evangelist in my senior years.
My story illustrates that there were many of us 'lesser' people that were affected (and believed) by Jesus!!!
