Have you ever found yourself judging someone because of where they are from? You know you do this all the time whether you want to or not, especially in todays world of heightened terror!
Nathaniel has just been told that the messiah has been found, the one that Moses had written of so many years before! He has been told the messiah they had been waiting for all of their lives was here! That information alone would give me pause and skepticism, but then Nathaniel was told this one the prophets spoke of is from Nazareth.
Did Nathaniel respond with joy? No...he asks, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Nathaniel may have been skeptical, but he was willing to meet Jesus and see for himself.
Do you remember your first encounter with Jesus? Did someone else tell you of him? Were you skeptical? Did you go to that Mass anyway to see for yourself?
Regardless of when you came to your faith or how you were raised, you likely went through a period of time when you were skeptical and wanted proof for yourself that this Jesus guy was really the Messiah.
So, how did Jesus reveal himself to Nathaniel? Did he bring down fire from Heaven? Did he make the Earth shake? No. He simply said "I saw you under the fig tree."
Seriously? "I saw you under the fig tree" is what proved to Nathaniel that Jesus was the one the prophets spoke of? It's one thing if Nathaniel was already believing, but remember, he was a skeptic who thought nothing good could come from Nazareth. Why were these words so powerful? What was so special about them? What can we take from this story for ourselves?
A fig tree was a sign of peace and blessing to the Israelites. It is a place where they were often taught about scripture and God's Word.
There was something special that pierced Nathaniel's heart when Jesus spoke of the fig tree. It probably felt like Jesus was seeing right through him.
Isn't that how it is sometimes at Mass, or when you read the scriptures. I know that when I sit there in Mass next to my husband, different parts of scripture speak to my heart differently than they do to him. When the Word of God is alive and active it has the power to penetrate deep into your heart!
There are some rich and prophetic messages that continue to be revealed in this passage of scripture, but I don't want to focus on those today. Those are for the biblical scholars and theologians to discuss.
I want to focus on what I can visibly and tangibly see and take away from this passage right now.
I know I judge people. We do it every day consciously and subconsciously. I know I have judged people for where they are from or what I may have heard others say about them (fairly or unfairly). God wants us to be open though. I need to be open to everyone and look for who they really are. I can't just walk away from someone that I don't actually know without giving them a fair chance!
I absolutely pre-judged my best friend by her fb profile picture! Had I remained stubborn and kept my mistaken views of her, I don't even know where I would be now! When we open ourselves up, we can meet the most incredible people that have the power to change our lives in amazing ways!
Lastly, God's Word is alive. His Word can change our heats and minds and lives. Keep yourself open to hearing and receiving it!
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