Static People
One of the problems with people is they have the unerring ability, and sometimes desire, to be comfortable and with that, they become static. Funny that always seems to apply to everyone else? It’s always the other that is in contrast with a mobile God. The question we have to ask is “can we get a little static” Static in our actions. Static in our attitudes and static in our expectations of others and more so our expectations of God?
I like Nathaniel - in contrast to Philip, who seems a little too eager, very open and convinced he has found (we know he’s the one who has been found) he has found the messiah? Nathaniel is, well, a little skeptical, slightly critical and a bit of a cynic. He’s presently sat doing nothing, static even?
Do we recognise any of those traits in others or more importantly do we recognise them in ourselves. There is that adage and this is a paraphrase of it, that if you don’t know who the annoying one is in your friendship group then you are probably the one. But that is not strictly true is it. I know there are traits of each of both Philip and Nathaniel in me, and mainly the annoying bits. No, no need to say “of course not you’re lovely” I know I’m not and I’m happy with that, “know thyself” is the beginning of change.
To change, needs us to recognise those things in the first place. Are we a little static, a little comfortable with how church is, who is there, where we are at the moment? And is there the danger that if you only hang around with people like yourself, you become superior in your place and ignorant of what needs changing.
Being static makes you fat, lethargic, and critical. I should know, I’ve got first hand experience of it. I’m sure I’ve shared this before but I had a chastening experience with a young lad I worked with. It was on the question of faith, action and what would Jesus do. I was a little fat and lethargic and very comfortable in the fact that all was right with me and God. I thought I had God all sorted and, well, static. The lad in question, with very little knowledge of Jesus, the bible and faith, said he thought Jesus would be in the bars and clubs in town of a night. I’m still embarrassed by my initial thoughts but he was absolutely right. We read so often of Jesus's disregard for the static, comfortable theology of the religious leaders, the doctrine that protested them and their wants, needs, greed and position. So Jesus went to the sick, the outsider and hung around with tax collectors and those of disreputable reputations. The nightclubs and the bars?
And that way of thinking shows itself in this story. When Nathaniel was approached by Philip and hears his excitable friend say “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.” He replies with those immortal words “WHAT GOOD CAN COME FROM GALILEE” Nathaniel had an idea of where Jesus came from, who God was and it wasn’t what Philip had told him.
Take a moment and think about these questions “Where is God now?” , “Where is God's spirit working at the moment?” “Who is he likely to find?” It may be telling what the answers you come up with. WHAT GOOD CAN COME FROM…
We go to others, to those not really expecting us. And we find both Jesus and ourselves there. We can see the other as well “Other” lesser/to be avoided/WHAT GOOD CAN COME FROM GALILEE - *add as applicable*