Nazareth

“Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ was not just mudslinging but a perception that many had come to believe as true. 

Nazareth was a town whose name means ‘set aside’ or ‘crowned’. It also means branched out. There is the branching out from the norm, setting aside something that is done by ordinary people so as to achieve a higher order of self. The simplest form of an act of a Nazarene is fasting. 

Historically residents of this town were people from across Israel and beyond who had taken an oath of commitment to God by having a sign upon them of either uncut hair, exclusive non-drinkers of alcohol, non-involvement in sexual sin or any other sin. The oath of commitment varied according to one’s weaknesses. These were the olden day monks. 

This commitment over time had proved unfruitful in the eyes of many who had come to question the purpose of it all. 

Samson is the guy best illustrating the life of a Nazarene. Under instruction he is under obligation not to cut his hair and as long as he does, he remains strong and helps the Israelites in war. 

Jesus was a Nazarene by residency but during his life He defied the characteristics of any Nazarene by indulging with people who were considered ‘sinners’ and alcoholics. Many tried to find out what his calling was all about by trying to find out what he had refrained from. 

Jesus took his disciples to houses that many ‘godly’ people would not dare enter. They entered the houses of tax collectors which are the equivalent of corrupt policemen’s houses. He also was seen in the company of prostitutes for some frequented his ‘friend’s premises.

If your pastor suddenly became friends with known corrupt policemen and  started visiting them in their houses and partying with them, it would not only  raise eyebrows but also be a cause for alarm.  

Jesus was born the Messiah. All the pointers were there but the environments were not adding up. He was born a commoner; his father a blue collar artisan who would be considered a ‘nobody’ by the high and mighty of any civilisation. His mom was a naïve teenager who was just happy to be of service in God’s plan. To add insult to injury, here was Jesus in the company of sinners and drinking with them.

For any religious man, who lived in the times of Christ it would have been hard to understand Jesus. The ones who understood Him were people who operated in higher love. For Christ proved it true that sometimes what we consider ‘unfit’ may turn out to be the most important of all things. 

We are not at all different from people in the days of Jesus. If Jesus was to pop up in our society today, many would not know Him and others will again condemn Him.

‘Committed to what?!” we would rant and that would be that for us. 

The story of Christ is about ‘resolve’. It’s about making a commitment to be more pleasing to God. It starts with knowing oneself and extends and transforms to being what God says about you. It’s about reaching out to God with expectation of receiving help.  

The world is full of hate and selfishness and Christ message is about changing the rotation of the system from clockwise to anticlockwise. It’s about unleashing the power of love. 

When you start operating in love you automatically are resolved to expressing it. A judge who starts questioning every action that you aim to perform is born in you. This judge is the voice of the Holy Spirit which starts operating in you and soon people start noticing that you are different. 

Love dictates that if you err you receive forgiveness because the one you are looking up to is full of love.

Love starts with self and if there is anything that is self-destructing in your life, you learn to let go and stick to what is of benefit to you. Concurrently you consider what benefits others and in your relative ability you do it. Therein lays God’s perfect love. 

In every area of our lives we can tell of the politicians, doctors, teachers, parents, neighbours and anyone who operates in love and their distinction from the rest of people is elaborate.

Being a Nazarene is about love. Loving God first, loving self and loving others. Being a Christian hence is being a Nazarene for you commit to be more like Christ. 

Jesus came from Nazareth appeared to go contrary to his origins but on the cross those who observed him could have as well have exclaimed ‘Surely he is from Nazareth’ for there he was crowned and crucified. 

He had given up his own life.