Tuesday 30 June 2026
- Bible Book:
- John
For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honour in the prophet’s own country. (v. 44)
Background
Jesus experienced being discriminated against because of where he was from. Does that sound familiar today? He was from Galilee and it was locals who discriminated against their own. They thought how could anyone from here amount to anything? While it wasn’t focused on others, it still showed a critical and negative spirit can easily become the norm and make discrimination commonplace.
But in this particular situation the normal level of distrust was overcome. Discrimination is never right or inevitable. The locals welcomed Jesus. Why? Was it because they were suddenly all enlightened thinkers recognising the worth in an individual irrespective of background, ethnicity, sexuality and so on? Perhaps not. But they still welcomed Jesus.
The difference here may well have been that these Galileans had seen Jesus ministering in Jerusalem. They had experienced him. So they weren’t operating on the level of assumption and prejudice. They had actual knowledge and experience and that overcame any prejudice they may well have had. Perhaps it's a reminder to us to never presume to judge others, but to get to know people, understand them and find we meet something of Jesus in them.
We can debate a great deal in the Christian faith. We can have different views on many aspects of belief and how that impacts our lives today. But what is very hard to argue against is someone whose life is changed when they explain that as being because they have met Jesus. Perhaps this is the most effective form of evangelism, and one in which all followers of Jesus are able to share in. Experiencing Jesus enabled the Galileans overcome whatever negative views and prejudice they may well have had. And helped them to fully discover God’s love for them.
To Ponder:
- Is there any type of discrimination still present in our Church today? What are we doing to address this?
- When have you met God in the life of a stranger?
- When have you most recently shared something of your Christian testimony?
Prayer
O God our saviour, enable us to be controlled by your love rather than the norms of the day, and help us treat others with the love and forgiveness we experience each day from you. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Stephen Skuce
The Revd Dr Stephen Skuce is the Superintendent for Growing Churches within the Methodist Church in Ireland.