November 30, 2014:

Ponderings of a Pilgrim Pastor

November 30, 2014

“Small Town Boy”

      As I think back on my life as I come to the close of my professional ministry and my pastorate here at Pilgrim, I think of the people and places that have shaped my life.  As some wise person has said, “We are who we were.”  Our past has enormous influence on the people we become.

      For me, one of the most important influences on my life was growing up in the small town of Otsego, Michigan.  Otsego is so insignificant that sometimes it doesn’t even appear on maps of Michigan!  Yet even though it was obscure, over the years a number of those who grew up there went on to lives of distinctive service.  Part of this was due to their families, of course.  Part of it was due to the local school system.  As time has passed, I more and more appreciate the teachers I had.  They challenged me to be excellent.  For me and others, our involvement in local churches also molded our characters.  Yet, for me, at least, the town itself also had a great influence.

      Everyone in a small town, more or less, knows who you are and what you have done.  To misquote the Christmas song, “They know when you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!”  To put it in a more positive way, people have expectations that you will do the right thing.

      Jesus was also a small town boy.  He grew up in Nazareth, a hill town near the Sea of Galilie.  Sadly it didn’t have a very good reputation.  Before he met Jesus, one of his first disciples, Nathaniel, remarked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46)  Rather than understand Nathaniel’s disparaging comment as meaning Nazareth was a worthless place, it would be better to understand him meaning that Nazareth was of no importance.  Who could expect any outstanding person to have grown up there?  In a very short time Nathaniel would learn otherwise!

      Let’s put it this way:  no matter what town (or city) we were raised in, the real test of our hometown is what we become.  Clearly, an important part of who Jesus was had to do with the place where he grew up.  For Jesus and the rest of us our hometowns are the foundation of our later lives.

Love,

Dave