GOODNESS FROM UNLIKELY PLACES

And Nathaniel said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ John 1:46

REFERENCE

John 1:43-48

Nathaniel of Galilee’s question, describes just how many of us perceive life. He is so taken by his hometown, Galilee, that he thinks ‘the world’ of it. Interestingly, Galilee means, ‘Circle or Circuit, or Ring.’ Therefore, it is Nathaniel’s globe; the world that encircles him and it defines his outlook on life. What he doesn’t know is that Galilee has become a wall around him; it has bound him in, and kept him from seeing good opportunities outside his world. No wonder when he sees Jesus, who has just walked in from ‘another world’ he says, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

What?! This is Jesus we are talking about – the Miracle-worker, Savior of mankind, the life-changer and more! Unfortunately, Nathaniel’s ‘world’, did not let him see that there could be good things beyond the world of Galilee.

Have you noticed that your cozy little ‘world’ colors your opinions, limits your options, contains your dreams and paralyzes your sense of adventure? You may be one of those who think that they cannot marry people outside their tribe/culture? You may think people of a particular culture have nothing to offer you in business, and believe them to be inferior. You underrate the capacity of people less educated than you and write off many ideas, people, organizations etc., before you get a chance to even meet them.

Who knows, just as this same Jesus from Nazareth transformed Nathaniel’s life, your destiny may just be tied to the ‘stranger’ from another ‘world’. That person from a different tribe may make the best spouse, best boss, best staff and best friend. Don’t limit your options or incarcerate yourself in the corner of your ‘Galilee’, the world is bigger than that.

Get adventurous, go see the world…your victory may be outside your vicinity!

SCRIPTURE PHOTO

ADDITIONAL STUDY

Genesis 12:1-2, James 2:1 & Galatians 3:28.

PRAYER 

Lord, raise ‘Philips’ for me that will say: ‘come and see’ – people that will pull me out of my world; and also deliver me from age-old prejudices, stereotypes, negative opinions that I have of people different from me and those outside my ‘Galilee’ in Jesus name!