Jesus said this at the end of his encounter with Zacchaeus, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the Lost.”
This summation by Jesus provides us with a real insight into the life and character of Zacchaeus. He was someone who was lost. We might all smile about a short man climbing a tree to see over the crowds but Zacchaeus was driven up that tree to see Jesus. I dare say that he wasn’t simply curious but rather he was simply hoping for something that would provide a cure for the loneliness and emptiness he had in his life. It must have been an amazing experience when Jesus eyes looked into the tree and spotted Zacchaeus and that Jesus knew his name and said that he “must” go to his home.