Come Sit a Spell
Dave Branon
Luke 19:1–9
Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. Luke 19:5
Jul 2, 2016
When I was a kid, our family made a monthly excursion from Ohio to West
Virginia to visit my maternal grandparents. Every time we arrived at
the door of their farmhouse, Grandma Lester would greet us with the
words, “Come on in and sit a spell.” It was her way of telling us to
make ourselves comfortable, stay a while, and share in some
“catching-up” conversation.
Life can get pretty busy. In our
action-oriented world, it’s hard to get to know people. It’s tough to
find time to ask someone to “sit a spell” with us. We can get more done
if we text each other and get right to the point.
But look at
what Jesus did when He wanted to make a difference in the life of a tax
collector. He went to Zacchaeus’s house to “sit a spell.” His words, “I
must stay at your house” indicate that this was no quick stopover (Luke
19:5). Jesus spent time with him, and Zacchaeus’s life was turned around
because of this time with Jesus.
On the front porch of my
grandmother’s house were several chairs—a warm invitation to all
visitors to relax and talk. If we’re going to get to know someone and to
make a difference in their life—as Jesus did for Zacchaeus—we need to
invite them to “come sit a spell.”
Dear Lord, as I look around at
those who share this life with me, help me to make time to spend with
them—for encouragement, challenge, and perhaps just plain conversation.
The best gift you can give to others may be your time.