And there was a man named Andrew Gower. He was a former politician, and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was.
Jesus was trending on social media. But Gower could not access it, because he had deactivated his accounts. (This had taken place when news of his expenses first made print. In those days, many people were poor, and the government did not find anything they could do, because they feared for the economy. So when the voters heard about his second home, they all arose against him.) So he went online and made a pseudonym, and followed all the conversations that were passing. And he marvelled at the things that Jesus was reported to have said and done.
But one day, someone saw a photo on his profile, and rebuked him, saying “Are you not the man who spent our taxes on an ornamental fountain?” And there arose an uproar among the people. “Away with such a fellow from the earth!” they tweeted.
But Jesus said: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” And Gower received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, saying “This man robbed the poor and has no place among us followers of Jesus.”
But Gower spoke with Jesus about many things, earnestly desiring to become like him. And Jesus said “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Cf. Luke 19:1-10:
N.B. Name chosen on the basis of semantic similarity to Zacchaeus … any resemblance to that of any actual politician or other contemporary person is very very accidental!
[Thumbnail image cc from Mr. Thinktank on Flickr.]
Jesus was trending on social media. But Gower could not access it, because he had deactivated his accounts. (This had taken place when news of his expenses first made print. In those days, many people were poor, and the government did not find anything they could do, because they feared for the economy. So when the voters heard about his second home, they all arose against him.) So he went online and made a pseudonym, and followed all the conversations that were passing. And he marvelled at the things that Jesus was reported to have said and done.
But one day, someone saw a photo on his profile, and rebuked him, saying “Are you not the man who spent our taxes on an ornamental fountain?” And there arose an uproar among the people. “Away with such a fellow from the earth!” they tweeted.
But Jesus said: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” And Gower received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, saying “This man robbed the poor and has no place among us followers of Jesus.”
But Gower spoke with Jesus about many things, earnestly desiring to become like him. And Jesus said “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Cf. Luke 19:1-10:
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”(See also Revelation 3:20).
N.B. Name chosen on the basis of semantic similarity to Zacchaeus … any resemblance to that of any actual politician or other contemporary person is very very accidental!
[Thumbnail image cc from Mr. Thinktank on Flickr.]
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