What Good Can Come From Nazareth

Nazareth, can anything good come from there? 

 

What a hurtful question! Not just the question, but the discriminatory bigotry behind how he said it. 

 

Philip came to Nathanael and said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 

 

And this was his response. He basically said that Nazareth was worthless, and anyone who came from it had no value too. 

 

Now if someone had come to me and said this about me, my family, or even my home town, I would have written them off. No need to talk to me, if this is how you feel, go back to your little self-centered world. I’ll be fine on my own. 

 

So Philip tells Nathanael, “come and see.” 

 

Somehow, that was enough for Nathanael to follow Philip to meet Jesus. 

 

Before they could even get all the way over to Jesus, He calls out to Nathanael - “now Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 

 

Nathanael was shocked. “How do you know me?” He asks. 

 

Jesus responded, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree, before Philip called you.” 

 

Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 

 

It’s interesting. When someone offends me, I write them off. I dont’ want to hear from them, talk to them, or even look at them. 

 

There is something deep inside of me that is so self protective, that I instantly want to fight someone who says something hurtful towards me. Yet Jesus takes away Nathanael’s discriminatory remarks, and gives him a place as his friend. Is it possible that I’ve allowed my offense by someone else’s ignorant remarks, to cause me to shut someone off, and ultimately miss the chance to have a close relationship with them?