Discipleship’s Transforming Power

Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael gives voice to his prejudice, a prejudice that could have closed down a fruitful avenue in his future. How often have we allowed past events to influence our current assumptions, which then hinder future possibilities? How many times have we let our prejudice predict the future? Haven’t we all—in our hearts, if nowhere else—concluded that someone won’t amount to much because of background, race, family, or our own contempt?
We’ve heard a lot about implicit bias lately. For example, we might say and believe in our racial neutrality, but scientific studies show that racial bias remains pervasive and invisible to the persons who suffer from it. We all have biases; we all risk discriminating on the basis of these judgments, despite our best intentions.
Philip chooses not to argue. Instead he invites the doubter to “come and see.” He cleverly undercuts Nathanael’s prejudice by inviting him to see for himself. Often we, like Nathanael, simply need to see for ourselves. Jesus expands our vision, allowing us to see life and others with “new eyes.” Life, in all its fullness and abundance, overwhelms our prejudice.
Following Jesus changes everything. It does not matter where we have come from; it only matters where we are going. We accept the invitation to “come and see.” See what came out of Nazareth, the place where Jesus began his healing ministry. Jesus of Nazareth—the world’s savior and our own.