One of my favorite tactics when my mother asks me to come home and do something is to quote the Bible. “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” That’s Matthew 13:57 (NLT). It basically reinforces the old adage that familiarity breeds contempt. Regardless of the books and movies I write or the hundreds of conferences and events where I am invited to speak, in my hometown I’m just me. I’m the daughter, sister, cousin, niece or childhood friend that everybody knows and I kind of like that. When I go back home, there’s a level of comfort in sitting on my parent’s porch with a mason jar of iced tea and no pressure to perform.
In Matthew 13 we find out that Jesus did not perform any miracles in Nazareth. They didn’t hang billboards or banners that boasted “Home of Jesus, the Son of God.” In fact, the people in the town could not get passed what they knew. “Isn’t this the carepenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary? And aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?”
The common opinion in Nazareth limited the faith of the people and thereby limited their blessings. But, they got it wrong. Jesus was not the carpenter’s son. He is the Son of God. You won’t be able to keep other people from labeling you incorrectly. However, you can keep those labels from affecting your ability to transform lives — particularly your own life.
You may be thinking…”Well, that’s all good for Jesus. He was the actual son of God. I’m the child of these two wackos.” God is not just Jesus’ father. God is your Father, too. Galatians 4:1-7 tells us that we received adoption through Christ. We are heirs to greatness as God’s children. Regardless of your parental situation, you have a loving, powerful Father that can protect you and guide you throughout your entire life.
If you are anything like me, you’ll probably need to remind yourself that you are just like your Father. You’ll need to search the Bible for the scriptures that tell you exactly who you are. You need to remind yourself that you’re crowned with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5) and were made in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). Remember that you are a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Yes, you are just like your Father.
If the people in Nazareth had understood who Jesus really was, their lives could have been changed. They would have received healing and power, authority and abundance, peace and joy. Oh well! It’s really hard to know someone else, but it’s imperative that we know ourselves. We cannot let the past, pain, or other people define who we are. If so, we risk being our own Nazareth and unable to miraculously transform our lives through Jesus. Not to mention, you won’t be much use to anyone else, either.
Start the journey of self-discovery with “Stay In Your Lane.” It’s never too late to reclaim yourself.