On the first day of a vacation in June Lake, California, my wife and I decided to head out for an easy family hike. We found a trail that was short on directions but long on glowing reviews, offering a route our two young daughters could enjoy.

As we made our way up the path, we wondered why it seemed much longer than our map stated. Eventually, we encountered a fly fisherman who noticed our confusion and told us we’d gone a full two miles down the wrong trail! While my wife and I were a bit embarrassed at our mistake, our daughters were relieved and very grateful that this man had saved us from wandering further in the wrong direction.

The well-known story of Jesus and Zacchaeus highlights the stunning reality that Jesus seeks out and saves the lost, even those who do not realize how lost they are! Zacchaeus’ gratitude toward Jesus when he realized that he too had been saved from the path of destruction is life-changing. He goes from being a selfish tax collector to a devoted disciple of Jesus, eager to serve others.