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"He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples....And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.' So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith." -- Mark 6:1, 3-6
Jesus returns to Nazareth with His friends and disciples beside him, ready to continue his work, but when he shows up at the sanctuary on the sabbath to teach, the townspeople aren't particularly receptive. Jesus has been traveling around and teaching all kinds of people, so it's easy to see how he might have expected a more positive reception in his hometown than he ultimately received. Aren't these the people who watched him grow up, learning carpentry at his earthly father's hands? Shouldn't they have been the people supporting him, welcoming him home, wanting to know what He's been up to and what He has to teach them?
Instead, that same familiarity bred contempt in the Nazareans. Instead of interest and support, Jesus encounters skepticism and doubt. "Isn't this just Joseph and Mary's son, who we've known since he was a baby?" they scoff. "Who does he think he is, to be coming here with his 'mighty' deeds and wisdom, telling us how to live?"
Maybe Jesus should have expected that the people who had known him all his life would be the least likely -- least able -- to see him for who he truly is, the son of God. They think they know him, that they know his family -- and they think that what he's been doing and saying isn't appropriate, worthwhile, or even, maybe, true. They don't believe.
But since Jesus was human, maybe he didn't even consider that his hometown folks would respond this way to his teaching until it was staring him in the face. Mark says Jesus was "amazed at their lack of faith" -- which certainly suggests that he didn't expect this negativity.
When your family members, friends, or neighbors talk...do you keep an open mind and truly listen?
When your children, younger siblings, or nieces and nephews grow up and form their own thoughts and opinions about the world, can you make the shift from thinking of them as kids still following the family's path and acknowledge that they may have different views from yours? When they talk to you about their views and beliefs, do you listen with your mind and heart -- and does your response differ if their views aren't the same as yours anymore?
Just think of how much the Nazareans missed out on. A handful of sick people were healed, yes, but while that's certainly nothing to sneeze at, Jesus had so much more to give them -- but they weren't interested. He could do little for those who lacked faith.
But since Jesus was human, maybe he didn't even consider that his hometown folks would respond this way to his teaching until it was staring him in the face. Mark says Jesus was "amazed at their lack of faith" -- which certainly suggests that he didn't expect this negativity.
When your family members, friends, or neighbors talk...do you keep an open mind and truly listen?
When your children, younger siblings, or nieces and nephews grow up and form their own thoughts and opinions about the world, can you make the shift from thinking of them as kids still following the family's path and acknowledge that they may have different views from yours? When they talk to you about their views and beliefs, do you listen with your mind and heart -- and does your response differ if their views aren't the same as yours anymore?
Just think of how much the Nazareans missed out on. A handful of sick people were healed, yes, but while that's certainly nothing to sneeze at, Jesus had so much more to give them -- but they weren't interested. He could do little for those who lacked faith.
Be flexible, be thoughtful, be faithful. Jesus' power to perform mighty deeds is limited when we don't have faith.
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