If it was easy, everybody'd be doing it

“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”  -Luke 4:24 (NIV)

After a successful tour through the towns of Galilee, Nazereth’s native son had scheduled a stop in his hometown. The synagogue was packed that Saturday, as the crowd anticipated an homage to humble beginnings and a demonstration of God’s anointing in the form of a miracle or two, the kind Jesus had been performing elsewhere. Things started well enough: A reading from Isaiah bringing a message of hope. Yes! We have been the poor, the imprisoned, the blind, the oppressed, but God still has plans for us! Our deliverance has been pre-ordained – it is our destiny!
 
At that point, the message got a little controversial: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your presence.” Wait, what? Did he just claim to be the Messiah? Or is he just confirming the truth of Isaiah’s words? Whichever it was, time would tell. In the meantime, no one could deny this guy had a presence about him. He was a compelling speaker. If he could back it up with a couple miracles, this would definitely be a day to remember!
 
There was a question going around the room – “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Some were awestruck: “Could it be that THE MESSIAH grew up here in our midst? How cool is that?!” Others were skeptical: “Thinks he’s messiah, does he? If you ask me, he’s let a little notoriety go to his head!” Then Jesus blew the lid off – a miracle might or might not happen here, but today isn’t about you. This story is bigger than Nazareth, bigger than Galilee, even bigger than Israel!
 
With two examples from the Old Testament that illustrated God’s concern and mercy toward those outside His covenant nation, Jesus expanded the scope of the messianic promise for his audience. The Jews were not the only ones who had experienced poverty, oppression, imprisonment. Most all the nations had, at one time or another, been oppressed. Not only that, but most every nation, including Israel, had acted as the oppressor at some point in their history, righteously or unrighteously. Certainly, every human who ever walked the earth had felt the imprisonment of sin and death from the enemy.
 
That was too much. The crowd, which had assembled to hear a sympathetic message and possibly see a show, which had been impressed and largely supportive up to a point, now became an angry mob. In a rage, they decided that this visiting rabbi, one they had considered one of their own, must die! They bum-rushed Jesus and took him to the edge of a cliff with the intent of throwing him over. That’s when they got their miracle, as Jesus calmly walked away from the cliff, back through the crowd, and out of town, without a word, without another hand being laid on him.
 
This story is challenging, like a boss I worked for early in my career. Whenever I would complain about a task, he would remind me that I chose this path for a reason and that "If it was easy, everybody'd be doing it." The implication was it's hard to make a living at something that requires no special skill set, so I'd best be about the business of developing mine. To get where I wanted to be, I had to take on the hard stuff.

How do I react when Jesus’ words are hard? When the Lord I meet in scripture is different from the savior I’ve created in my mind? How does the reach of Jesus’ messiahship make me rethink my view of myself, my church, my nation, my world? Am I the underdog, the one who was oppressed, chosen for God’s mercy and compassion, maybe even deserving of it? Are there others who are less so? Are there any who are unredeemable? How many “second chances” do any of us actually deserve?
 
If all are equally messed up by sin and all are equally loved by God and all are equally undeserving of His grace, then what is my role in sharing that story? Jesus got his hands dirty. He spoke truth and paid a price for it. I am certainly no better than my Master. Lord, make me open to your truth, even when it’s hard. May I see You, myself, and the souls around me as we truly are. Amen.
 
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  –James 1:22 (NLT)

If it was easy, everybody'd be doing it.  -Richard Fisher, circa 1985