Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Over the last couple of years I have been appointed a task that either no one else wants or they are just scared. It really isn’t anything big, but it is something that needs to be done. I’m sure I won’t always have to do it but for now it is mine. It has been my responsibility to take Sutton to get his haircut.
I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but believe me it can be. When Bob asked Sutton how he wanted his haircut, Sutton said – “Like my Dad’s”. That’s when I had to remind him that his daddy said he couldn’t have it that short. We determined that it was to be just long enough to comb over.
Bob really did a great job and Sutton was happy with the way it went. After Bob finished with Sutton it was my turn. It was then that fun started. Sutton wanted to ride the stationary bike. Bob told him that his legs wouldn’t touch the pedals once he sat on the seat. So Sutton just stood in front of it, grabbed the handles, stepped on the pedals and just started going!
It was really awesome how he figured out how to overcome the fact that his legs were too short to ride it the normal way. His size didn’t stop him from enjoying some time on the bike. It was great to see him overcome an obstacle and achieve the goal he had in mind.
The fact that he didn’t let his size determine the final outcome was pretty cool. Bob even said that Sutton was really determined to ride that bike even though it wasn’t the traditional way. I would have to say that is pretty much how Sutton is. If he wants to do something, he will figure out a way to do it.
As I thought about what Sutton did, it made me think about someone else who wanted to do something but because of his size he had to do something just a little bit different. But he figured out a way to do what he needed to do.
In Luke 19:1-10, there was a man named Zaccheus. He was a chief tax-gatherer and was rich. Jesus was passing through Jericho and Zaccheus wanted to see Him; but Zaccheus was ‘small in stature’. Because of the crowd around Jesus, he couldn’t see Him.
Luke 19:4 says “And he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.” Instead of pushing through the crowd, Zaccheus decided to go on ahead and get above the crowd so he could see Jesus.
Zaccheus used the tree to rise above those that were watching Jesus make his way into Jericho. The tree was there for shade, but Zaccheus used it to be rise above his circumstances. He climbed the tree to accomplish the task that was on his heart.
His determination even caught Jesus attention. When Jesus got to where he was, ‘He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”’ (Lk. 19:5). Zaccheus came down and received Him gladly.
Others weren’t happy but it brought a change in Zaccheus. He told Jesus what he would do to make things right. Then Jesus said to him – “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.” 10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
I trust that one day Sutton will see Jesus. It may not be when he climbs on a stationary bike backwards, but it may be when Papa tells him how much Jesus loves him and he reaches out to embrace Jesus with all his heart. No matter his size Jesus loves him just as He loves each of us no matter our size.
JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there IS something about that name!!
Christ only, always,
Bro. Paul
Brother Paul Nachtigall is the preacher at Highland Baptist Church. He can be reached at bropaul@centramedia.net.
