Called by Name, Not by Your Rap Sheet

Read The Daily:
“Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” — Luke 19:5

We live in a world that’s really good at labeling people. Good ones. Bad ones. Winners. Messes. The kind of people you keep close… and the kind you quietly hope never sit next to you. But when Jesus walked through Jericho, He didn’t stop to agree with the crowd’s labels. He stopped, looked up, and called Zacchaeus by name—before the guy fixed a single thing.

That’s the surprising part of grace. Jesus didn’t wait for Zacchaeus to clean up his reputation or prove he was worth the attention. He chose him first. Not because Zacchaeus climbed a tree or tried harder than everyone else—but because Jesus wanted him. Grace always moves first.

And the crowd hated it. When Jesus chose to befriend the guy everyone else had written off, their anger shifted from Zacchaeus to Jesus. That’s what love does sometimes—it steps into someone else’s place and absorbs the judgment. Grace is offensive… unless you’re the one who needs it.

Remember this: love changes people more deeply than shame ever could. The people who impact us most aren’t the ones lecturing us to do better—they’re the ones who stay when they don’t have to. If God feels distant or disappointed in your mind, take another look. He’s not keeping score. He’s calling your name.

Prayer for the Day

God what are you  showing me?  What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.

Read The New Testament In A Year

A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. “There is a prisoner here,” he told him, “whose case was left for me by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him. I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves. “When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. But Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar.” “I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!” So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem. But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. “But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write. For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!” Acts 25:13-27

After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants.” And again their voices rang out: “Praise the LORD! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!” Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, “Amen! Praise the LORD!” And from the throne came a voice that said. Revelation 19:1-5

Read More – Bible Project Overviews: Acts, Revelation