Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
“Once upon a time, you had it all; you let everybody down; you’re always seventeen in your hometown.”
Those are lyrics from a Cross Canadian Ragweed song titled “Seventeen,” which outlines the challenge the singer has with returning home as an adult.
When you think about it, don’t we usually judge people for who they were when we last knew them?
If you knew me in high school, it would be a shame to think I was that same person because life and experience help us to mature and to become uniquely different – in other words, I need a “pass” that allows you to see me as I am today.
Someone who never had to change was Jesus, though many within his community had difficulty believing He was the Messiah, the true Son of God.
In Luke 4:16-30, we see this play out before the family and friends who helped raise Jesus in Nazareth, and it culminates with His proclamation that “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
We might keep that in mind next time we run into someone we haven’t seen in a long time and hope that those who haven’t seen us in ages offer the same “pass” because what a loss it would be if we missed out as the Nazarenes did 2000 years ago.
(#08)
