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Why "Sycomore Fig"?

One of my favorite stories in the bible is that of a tax-collector named Zacchaeus. In the story, a large crowd began to form as they gathered to meet with Jesus, who was passing through the town of Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. Zacchaeus was a man of short stature, which made it nearly impossible to see Jesus through the crowd (Luke 19:3). So he ran ahead of the crowd, and climbed a sycamore fig tree (ficous sycomorus) along the path Jesus took. When Jesus reached the tree, he looked up into the branches, called out to Zacchaeus by name, and told him to come down, for he planned to visit his house later that day.

Now the primary, and most widely known lesson taken away from this story, is that in addition to the crowd being shocked that a man of Jesus' religious stature - teacher/prophet, would be a guest of, let alone be seen with the likes of a tax collector. You see, tax collectors were known for amassing great wealth, and known for cheating taxpayers. But, after his encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus was a changed man, and called "a son of Abraham" from that day forward.

But, in my personal bible study of this story, God revealed to me an additional take away: Zacchaeus had a need that could only be met by getting a better view of a man called Jesus - a man who was saying and doing amazing things in the lives of everyone he came in contact with. However, in order to get this better view (of who/what he desired to see), Zacchaeus had to climb up a sycomore tree ("sycamore" spelled with an A has also been used for unrelated trees). 

No matter what stage of life you're currently in, and no matter what area of life - marriage, parenting, finances, career, health & fitness, or even your faith, I'm sure there have been times where limiting beliefs or legitimate obstacles have either slowed you down or completely stopped your forward momentum towards reaching a goal, realizing a dream, or seeing a vision come to fruition. Well, now is the time to get a better view, to create a better life for yourself, and for your family. Our Sycomore Fig tree awaits my friend....so let's climb together!

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