A Virginia pastor tries to turn the story of Zacchaeus into support for ethnic prejudice in college admissions (i.e. affirmative action). Dwight Riddick, Sr., of Gethsemane Baptist Church says the wealthy tax collector was “oppressed” and a “second-class citizen” because of his height. “Jesus saw Zacchaeus and he levels of the playing field. Jesus institutes an affirmative action program.”
This past week, the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action was unconstitutional in permitting colleges and universities to take into consideration race when it comes to their admissions standards. This was and is a major blow in America, a country that is already struggling and who has been working hard to achieve racial equality. And now, the hands of the clock have been more than turned back, it almost feels as though the hands up the clock has been torn off.
…In our story today, we find a familiar character, we’ve called him Zacchaeus….Zacchaeus was a man who was hated. He was a man who, in every sense of the word was at a place of disadvantage. He faced life with doors constantly being closed in his face….(he) suffered and experienced oppression. Not because of anything, but he’s made in a contribution to, he was just born this way.
He didn’t have anything at all to do with his physical stature. He was just born this way and only grew to a certain stature and now because of his physical appearance, he’s being oppressed, he’s been pushed to the side, he’s been marginalized. He’s been discriminated against. Here he is, a short man in a tall world. He is the minority among apparently everybody else on the street that day.
He continues:
..And I know you’re gonna tell me that He was despised because he was a tax collector, he had treated other people wrong, he had overcharged them the taxes due. But I argue today, never mind the fact that he’s rich and a tax collector, he’s still a person who has been the target of hate. And no one likes to be hated. I don’t care who you are, you don’t want people hating on you. Nobody likes to be pushed aside. No one likes to be denied access, have doors closed in their face, and feel as though they’re always hitting the glass ceiling.
And here is Zacchaeus. A short man in a tall world. When Zacchaeus could not get a space in front of others for he could see Jesus, he is forced to settle for a secondary substandard viewing position…this tree was not the best seat in the house. It was not on equal footing with the rest. It was where short people had to go if they were to see the guests passing by.
…Jesus knew that Zacchaeus being in that tree was an indication that Zacchaeus had been put in a place where he’s being made to feel as though he’s a second class citizen. People who are well thought of and treated equal do not meet Jesus in trees. People who are well thought of and treated as equals, do not meet Jesus in trees. They meet him on ground level.
And then concludes:
Jesus saw Zacchaeus and he levels the playing field. Jesus institutes an affirmative action program. The Bible says Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus’ house. Notice that Zacchaeus was the only one who had to climb the tree and he had to climb the tree to see Jesus because he was short and nobody would open the door and give him access to where Jesus was.
But when Jesus comes by, Jesus said ‘man come on down.’ He said, ‘I tell you what I’m going to do, I’m going to your house today.’ There were a whole lot of people in Jericho on that day, a whole lot of people who wanted to see Jesus but Jesus chose one to spend time with. Jesus only went to Zacchaeus his house.
When everybody else has shut the door on Zacchaeus, God who opened the door. Others hated Zacchaeus, denied him the opportunity of access, but then Jesus comes along and gives him favor. Somebody thank God for favor.
h/t to WokePreacherTv for the title, intro and vid.
