Governors,
presidents, kings and queens, war dead. These
are some of the people honored for their service and studied in school. Some are heroes whom we call great. Their names, carved in stone, are found in
parks and quiet gardens. Many started life
as ordinary people.
The
followers of Jesus were ordinary people.
Scripture mentions some only once or twice. Little is known about their lives outside of
tradition. But I think the most important
thing about them is that they’re remembered as the first who said yes.
One of the
most ordinary was Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew. His story is one of my favorites, because I
think we all have a little bit of Nathanael in us. His good friend Philip was excited, because the
one hailed by prophets was in their midst. Nathanael listened but had his doubts. “What good could come
from [a paltry place
like] Nazareth?” Still, he left his
peaceful spot under the fig tree to follow his friend and find out a little
more. When Jesus told him He knew who he
was, Nathanael was thrilled and more importantly, convinced. Jesus promised more greatness to come (John
1:45-51).
Despite our
achievements, it’s tough to acknowledge greatness. We’re experts at detecting flaws. There’s
always another story, an ulterior motive, a smear in the background. We read the world back into the self and then
get bored by the self, draped over everything. Greatness sounds naïve, like someone fresh
from the countryside struck by the gleaming city. We, the intelligent ‘woke’ people see through
things until they just fade away.
Just as He
called Nathanael, Jesus calls us to greatness. It begins in an ordinary way: trusting a
friend, leaving our hiding place, being known, saying yes. The possibilities of being alive return. We venture out into a world suffused with His
presence.
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