Do you know what it is like to no be accepted in your hometown? Have you seen others who are not accepted? Were they not accepted because they had risen too high? Had they become something more than anyone thought they would be? Were they rejected because of jealousy?
Being accepted in our hometown can be very important to us. Unfortunately, it can also mean our wings are clipped and we do not fly as high as we could. There is an inner gauge that tells us we will be rejected if we become a superstar. This is especially true in small towns.
Jesus grew up in a small town. He had run around the dirt streets with the other boys. He was a builder’s son. He likely grew up learning the trade. The expectation for Him was that He would follow in Joseph’s steps, become a builder, and would live out His life in Nazareth. As we know, that was not the future God had planned for Jesus.
Once Jesus started His ministry, the people of Nazareth became offended. They thought, like many small-town folks would, that Jesus had grown too big for His britches. He was proclaiming to fulfill Scripture Himself. He told them the truth from God’s Word. He implied God was expanding His kingdom to include the gentiles. All this was unwelcome news to the people. He was rocking their boat, and they didn’t like it.
The same can be true of us. If we rock the boat by telling the truth, people can reject us. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t tell the truth. It simply means we need to be ready to accept the rejection. It also doesn’t mean the truth must be presented harshly. Jesus presented truth in parables and stories. Jesus planted seeds. Those who want to know the truth will get it.
I pray we all tell the truth tactfully and with love. I pray we are ready to accept the rejection that may come. I pray each one of us are willing to follow God’s call on our lives. Speak the truth. Be tactful. Speak with love. Be ready to be rejected. Plant seeds. Watch them grow.
Luke 4:24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown.
Marty Pressey 