Reading: Taking Responsibility

Luke 19:1-9 (New International Version)

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore- fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.”

Note: Zacchaeus was the leader of corrupt tax collectors. With support from Rome, they collected taxes from the people and usually took more than they were supposed to. The people of Jericho were his victims in this crime. When Zacchaeus promised to pay back anyone he had harmed fourfold, he admitted his guilt and offered to take the punishment that Jewish law demanded – paying back the victim.

There are many ways we may harm people and relationships through our behavior; crime is only one example of this. In each case, the first step toward reconciliation is to take responsibility for our actions. Acting so as to harm people and relationships is bad enough. Refusing to take responsibility only adds to the damage. See, for example, Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve compounded their disobedience of God by trying at first to avoid responsibility for it. Hence, taking responsibility for our actions is vital to begin a process of recovery or restoration from the harm caused.

For criminal offenders and other wrongdoers this means accepting responsibility for what we have done in the past and for the harm that resulted. And whether we are the victim or the offender, we face choices about how we will act now and in the future. We must take responsibility for those choices if we are going to move past the offense and resulting harm.

Offenders may avoid taking responsibility by blaming others for what happened, making excuses, or justifying their actions. Victims can assume unwarranted responsibility by blaming themselves or denying or minimizing the harm done. Also, victims may avoid responsibility for themselves and others by refusing to consider and work on emotional and relational recovery for themselves, with friends and family, or even with the offender who seeks to make things right.

The story of Zacchaeus speaks to us whether we are offenders or victims. Offenders need to take responsibility for their actions and do something to repair the harm caused. Although victims are not responsible for what others have done to them, they can choose how they will respond to that harm. The story of Zacchaeus reminds us that God can help us respond in ways that will bring healing. He can bring good things – salvation – out of the situation.

Used by permission - www.restorativejustice.org - a ministry of Prison Fellowship International