Years ago, a truck driver asked me to help him with his
resume. His back was sore all the time and he needed a new job. He told me “I’m
not educated or skilled and my resume is boring.” I asked him many questions
about his life, interests, volunteer work and other detail then wrote the
resume. He read it and said, “I cannot believe how good I look in this — yet everything
is true!”
Some people belittle their accomplishments. Others make
assumptions about the lives of other people. If a person does not tell others
what they do, they are often pegged as people who don’t do much. A couple years
ago a new friend came to my home for a visit. She liked my art, quilts and
other creative projects and said, “I’m amazed. I thought you were just an
ordinary person.” Despite her new opinion, I told her she was right — I am just
an ordinary person.
That incident helped me take greater notice of others and
my understanding has deepened — there are no ordinary people. Everyone has a
story, a skill, a something that is significant. Most don’t want to boast or do
not even recognize their own uniqueness. In some cases, those around them do not
want to recognize it either.
And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief . . . (Mark 6:2–6)
Jesus was in His
hometown of Nazareth. The people knew Him as part of a local family. To them,
He was nothing special growing up before them, so why now is He teaching in the
synagogue? What right does He have to do this? They were offended by this
‘ordinary’ person and He was amazed at their rejection.
This part of Mark’s
Gospel happened during Jesus’ second visit to Galilee. He’d been there once,
performed miracles and told parables. They saw and heard Him yet they were
confused. How could an ordinary person, at least ordinary in their mind, do
what He was doing?
This narrative about
Jesus’ life makes me think of roadblocks created by the opinions of others. If a
person is bothered by them, it will affect their lives. In this case, when these
people rejected Jesus, He didn’t do any “mighty work” there. His ministry was
limited because of their perception of Him.
My truck driver
friend had similar limitations but not for the same reasons. His perception of himself kept him from applying for jobs
that He was qualified for. He needed to see himself differently. My
relationships with people are also affected by what they assume about me. Some
assumptions are based on observation, an ordinary childhood, mistakes made, and
maybe an unfair evaluation that thinks people are special only if they are
exceptional in something, child prodigies, or have double PhDs or a wall full
of ribbons.
Jesus was amazed at
the way people responded to Him. He who is without sin would not have that
notion that ‘ordinary’ people could be useless, boring, or without skill.
Instead, He saw the full person, sinful yet created in the image of God and
full of potential. All they needed was redemption and the Holy Spirit and they
would be able to do anything.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
^^^^^^^^^^^
Lord, grant me the
ability to see people like You see us, realizing the sin that ruins lives but
also aware of the great potential that others have because of Your grace and
power. Help me be a supporter and an encourager. Give me ideas and ways to
bring out the best in others . . . as You do!
No comments:
Post a Comment