Outsiders Vs. Insiders

2On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3Is 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.4Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honor, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’5And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief. ~ Mark 6:2-5

A famous person is not always viewed by their family the same way outsiders view them.  Having watched the person adored by outsiders grow up, family members have seen another side of this person that outsiders have never seen.  Outsiders only view what the media allows them to see or hear about and make their decisions based on what is happening in the life of this person now, not necessarily what has happened to them in their past.  Insiders remember the person growing up and cannot always separate their close relationship and past from what the person has become.

Jesus had much the same trouble with his own family and small hometown.  They knew this young man as he had grown up in the community.  It was difficult for them to separate the fact that Jesus was both human and divine.  They had never experienced such a thing before, so how could they believe that Jesus was more than just a man?  Had he not been born of a woman as they had been?  Had he not grown up much like they had, in this small community of people that knew everyone and everything everyone ever did in this little town?

Being and outsider can sometimes be a good thing, for they are able to see things that those in an inner circle may not.  Outsiders are not taking things for granted, for they are seeing these things for the very first time.  They are making decisions based on what is happening at the moment, not allowing previous knowledge cloud their ability to see what is right in front of their eyes.  

By being outsiders, we have the ability to see what God has intended for everyone to see - that Jesus was God in the flesh, walking this very same earth we live in and showing us how we should live our lives to please Him.  As outsiders, we are not looking at Jesus as if he were our sibling that could do no wrong in our mother's eyes.  We can see Him as a Healer and eventually a Savior, who became the very sacrificial lamb saving us from all we have done wrong in our lives by believing in Him.

What do you see when you look to Jesus?  Do you see just a man having walked this earth as we do now?  Or do you see Jesus as the Son of God who not only died for us, but still walks among us every day?

Prayer

Dearest Lord Jesus,

Let us not take You for granted.  Thank You for having walked this earth as an example of how to live our lives in the way that honors God.  Thank You for still walking with us today, every step of the way, so that we are never alone in this world.  Amen.

~ Wendy Miller