"Grown Up" Jesus

~~~ 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17 ~~~ Psalm 32 ~~~ Mark 6:1-6 ~~~

Where did this man get all this? 

Jesus came from the small insignificant village of Nazareth.
In the time of Jesus there may have only been 200 inhabitants living there.
It was a small farming village like many others in that time.

Jesus returns home accompanied by his disciples;
he is not home for a sabbatical from his ministry.
He is there to heal and to preach to his neighbors and friends.

Those who heard him were impressed, but skeptical at the same time.
How did he acquire all of this knowledge?

It is not unusual to be skeptical of a local person
who returns to their old neighborhood as a changed person.
There is no reason for the local people to believe that Jesus is a special person.
His actions, not necessarily his words, will be their proof.
They will see in his healing who
Jesus has 'grown up' to be.

He is no longer just the kid from the neighborhood.

How would people receive you
 if you were to return to your childhood community?

Are you a different person today?
How have you changed?

If we want to grow in our relationship with God
change is inevitable.
Whether or not we make the conscious effort to change it does happen.
It is up to us to manage the manner in which we change.
Do you want to become a bitter person resisting any change?
Do you want to embrace change in your life as coming from God?

Today I invite you to consider
those things which have changed in your life so far.

What feelings rise up in your heart?

God blesses us with his invitation
 to become all that he sees we already are.

Peace.