A Beautiful View

Location: Airbnb, Lookout Mountain
John 1:43-51

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. (John 1:46, NIV)

A weekend not long ago I was able to get away from Nashville and spend some time in an air bnb with a  beautiful view on Lookout Mountain. However, before we call this weekend a success story, I’d like to mention that we barely got there. We tried three different ways to get out of our neighborhood but each time got stuck in snow and ice and my husband had to shovel snow out from under our tires. After 40 minutes of looking like Floridians in a blizzard, a seasoned snow-driving neighbor kindly drove our car out of the neighborhood for us so we could get on good roads!

But by the time we got to the airbnb, it was already dark, so we couldn’t enjoy the view we worked so hard to get to. So needless to say the next morning I was excited to get up and finally see the gorgeous view from the online pictures. But this time, the morning fog was too dense. I couldn’t really see anything. I was so frustrated! After all our work to get here and waiting for the morning light to come back out, I still couldn’t see the view.

This obstructed view made me think of John 1:43-51, a time when my pal Nathanael couldn’t see quite clearly either.

Now, let me begin by saying I love Nathanael in this passage because, well, Nathanael has no filter. And don’t you just love a good chat with no filter of politeness? Maybe I’m alone here, but I can’t wait to leave that friends house and tell my husband what I really felt about that dinner discussion. Or the meeting after the meeting where my closest colleagues and I discuss how our pitch really went.

When Philip tells Nathanael he has found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael candidly says, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46, NIV). I just love that. He’s just telling it as it is. There’s no filter. Nathanael’s just spouting out what comes off the top of his head based on his preconceived notions. Nazareth? Population: Who cares? Nazareth? Those country bumpkins with that crazy accent? Nazareth? Where my crazy cousin lives? So much unbridled skepticism and doubt wrapped up in this one statement! 

And the best part is, Nathanael’s skepticism and doubt didn’t stop him from being praised by Jesus. When Jesus meets Nathanael, Jesus says, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47, NIV). 

Wow. Think about the slight Nathanael just said about Jesus a verse earlier. Nathanael couldn’t see Jesus clearly because Nathanael was blinded by the dense fog of his preconceived notions of who the Messiah would be. Many Jews thought the Messiah would be someone grand, someone who would conquer the Roman Empire and lift the Jews from their lowly status into a formidable people. The Messiah, their long-awaited leader, couldn’t possibly be from the rag-tag town of Nazareth.

But while Nathanael’s view was hazy and inaccurate, Jesus saw Nathanael clearly. And what Jesus sees surprises us. Jesus sees the good. Jesus says there is no deceit in Nathanael. Could this possibly be a reference to Nathanael’s candor from before? We don’t know for sure, but we do know that Jesus thought highly of Nathanael’s character.

Sometimes we think if Jesus saw us, if Jesus truly looked at us, that he would be disappointed. That he’d see the envy behind our lack of excitement for a friend. That he’d see the ungratefulness behind the words of our complaint. That he’d see the greed behind our reluctant giving. 

Jesus could have seen Nathanael’s lack of faith, his stubbornness, his put down, his totally wrong impression of salvation history - it was just one verse ago! But Jesus saw the good. And Jesus sees the good in you.

"But Jesus saw the good. And Jesus sees the good in you."

Jesus sees the good in you because your sin was left on the blood-stained cross. You don’t have to carry around the shame of the past, the failings of the present, or the inevitable mess-ups of the future, because your sins have been forgiven once for all through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Even if you can’t see Jesus very clearly, if you’re clouded by doubts or skeptical about this Jesus from Nazareth, Jesus sees you. And Jesus sees that you are good. Sure, you have things to work on, and you’re encouraged to work on them! But that doesn’t define the foundation of who you are. To Jesus, you are a beautiful view. You are good. You are worthy. And you were worth dying for.

Spiritual Practice for Today's Devotion

Loving-Kindness Prayer

Say these phrases either silently or aloud, giving space to breath and receive between each one. 

• Thank you, God, for your love that is too wide, too deep, too high, and too low to comprehend. 
• May I love you with all my heart, soul, and mind.
• May I be open to receive your abounding love. 
• May every corner of my body and soul feel your love surrounding me. 
• May your love overflow through me to others.

Now, say these phrases slowly, naming a loved one. 

• Thank you, God, for your love that is too wide, too deep, too high, and too low to comprehend. 
• May [name] love you with all [his/her] heart, soul, and mind.
• May [name] be open to receive your abounding love. 
• May every corner of [name's] body and soul feel your love surrounding [him/her]. 
• May your love overflow through [name] to others.

Now, say these phrases slowly, naming someone you dislike or are in conflict with.

• Thank you, God, for your love that is too wide, too deep, too high, and too low to comprehend. 
• May [name] love you with all [his/her] heart, soul, and mind.
• May [name] be open to receive your abounding love. 
• May every corner of [name's] body and soul feel your love surrounding [him/her]. 
• May your love overflow through [name] to others.

​Amen.