“Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” (John 1:45-47, NIV)
Nathanael knows the reputation of Nazareth as a rough place.
Jesus does not rebuke Nathanael for speaking of things as they are; rather he praises him for not having a false heart. Jesus sees Nathanael as a true Israelite.
We can learn something from Jesus. Our Lord does not criticize Nathanael for his disturbing words. What Jesus does is “to see” Nathanael’s heart full of sincerity and integrity. Might we hear past the words and see into the hearts of those we love, just like Jesus!
Living Big In Jesus
Keith