Taxes and Jesus

Yesterday was Tax Day. Every year on this dreaded day I think of my friend Joe Bailey. Joe always recited a little ditty on tax day,

“I had a dog, his name was Tax.

I opened the door, and in come Tax.”

Joe always paid his taxes and several years ago he went to be with Jesus. Thus, Joe had fulfilled those two certainties that all of us will experience in our life’s journey, taxes and death.

Jesus referred to taxes a few times during his ministry. Once he compared a Pharisee to a tax collector. The Pharisee, an esteemed religious leader, who Jesus described as one who was confident of his own righteousness looking down on everyone else, went into the temple to pray. He stood by himself and raising his voice so all could hear he prayed. “God, I thank you that I am not like other people- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax collector.” The tax collector had come to pray at the same time as the Pharisee. The tax collector, although one of the most hated men around, humbling himself before God, stood at a distance, not even able to raise his head up to heaven, beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Jesus’ comparison of the two was this, “I tell you that this man, the tax collector, rather than the other man, the pharisee, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Soon after telling this parable Jesus went to Jericho. It was here that Jesus encountered one of those hated tax collectors. His name was Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, and he was a very wealthy man. Apparently Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus and he wanted to see exactly who he was. His problem was he was a wee little man, a wee little man was he. He could not see over the crowd when Jesus passed by. So he climbed and he climbed up a sycamore tree for the Lord to see. Then the most wonderful thing happened. Jesus stopped right in front of that sycamore tree, looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down, for I’m going to your house today!” The Bible says, “Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed him gladly.”

Zacchaeus was changed that day. He had gained his wealth by cheating his own people by taking more tax money than they owed. He had hurt so many making life so much harder for them. Zacchaeus was an evil man, deceitful, and conniving. He truly was the most hated man in Jericho. But because he met Jesus he paid back all that he had taken by deceit from the people. All because he had gladly welcomed Jesus into his life. Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Jesus can change anyone no matter how terrible or evil they have been. All a person has to do is accept Jesus into their life.

Isn’t is so much better when Jesus comes into our house than when “In come Tax”? Ooooh! That was bad!

Scripture reference: Luke 18: 9ff and Luke 19: 1-9