Outsiders, Outliers, and Outcasts
I’m captured by Jesus’s interaction with Zacchaeus in the Gospel of Luke for many reasons, but the first comes before a word is ever spoken between them. The story starts in Luke 19 with Zacchaeus desperately positioning himself to see Jesus walking through Jericho. He finds a tree to climb and waits.
What do you think Zaccaeus is expecting at this point? I imagine nothing more than a (somewhat) closeup view of Jesus. Like, if I heard Jason Kelce was going to stroll through my neighborhood park with his little bro Travis and Taylor Swift in tow, I would show up early, perched in my favorite lawn chair with salty snacks at the ready. You know, just to see the magic up close for a minute or two. And, I mean, this is just a totally random example so I’m not obsessed or anything. But just in case Jason or Travis or Taylor see this: hey! 👋 feel free to stroll through my neighborhood park anytime!
…Back to Zaccaeus. This is where things get really interesting. It comes in verse 5 of Luke chapter 19. Three words. “He looked up.”
Jesus looked up. Why? Did he know Zacchaeus would be there? Maybe. However, Jesus seemed to have a habit of looking around when he was in a crowd. He looked to the margins. For the outcast, the ignored, the young, the sick, the infamous. Why?
I believe Jesus knew that change begins in the hearts of those who recognize when they’ve hit rock bottom. Their lives have become unmanageable. Perhaps they had an inkling of something much greater than themselves. Something that could bring healing from the chaos, abuse, illness, addiction. You name it. Jesus understood where transformation begins.
So, he looked up.
Do you look up? Do I look up? I’ll be honest. It takes effort for me. I have to be intentional. Sometimes I feel like it uses up time that I’m not sure is mine to give. But there is a discipline here we can hone in on. Let’s call it our...
Permeating-Peripheral-Vision (PPV)
Peripheral vision is such an interesting trait. Take a minute right now and look straight ahead, without moving your eyes. What do you see in your peripheral vision? It’s probably much more than you might have imagined. You sort of have to be dialed into it to maximize the experience.
This holds true for people, ideas, and opportunities you may come across. Even though they feel like longshots, they just might be key to resourcing your cause:
- The frumpy-looking guy you see at Starbucks every morning.
- The vacant lot (for years now) on the outskirts of town.
- The marketing gems sitting latent in the book your retired business friend gave you.
Are you looking up? Is your PPV dialed in? This is where you may discover the moment someone or something is looking for you, even though the majority voices don’t see what you see. Engage the outliers. They could be the life-changing and transformational miracle your cause needs.
Until next week!
* * * * * * * * * *
Depending on your day to day needs in major donor fundraising, I have three options you can choose from to energize your efforts:
- The Catalyst Course - an online course for those tasked with major gift fundraising.
- The High-Performance Package (inquire directly if interested) - a major gift fundraising consultation for experienced professionals.
- The Flywheel Package - a customized six month consultation for people who are leading teams of major gift fundraisers.
The Catalyst Course is affordable at a cost of $500 and can be done in a schedule that fits best for you, taking anywhere from four weeks to three months to complete. Everything I have learned, successes and failures, is packed into the course for your benefit and enjoyment. I have taken hundreds of folks through this content, helping them with fundraising strategies to empower causes all over the world.
Now is the time to take advantage of these resources!
I look forward to hearing about your good work.
Blessings,
