Prejudice and God’s Love

We're so glad you've joined us for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm James Banks, and I titled our reading, Prejudice and God's Love. You're not what I expected.

I thought I'd hate you, but I don't. The young man's words seemed harsh, but they were actually an effort to be kind. I was studying abroad in his country, a land that decades earlier had been at war with my own. We were participating in a group discussion in class together, and I noticed he seemed distant.

When I asked if I'd offended him somehow, he responded, not at all. And that's the thing. My grandfather was killed in that war, and I hated your people and your country for it. But now I see how much we have in common, and that surprises me.

I don't see why we can't be friends. Prejudice is as old as the human race. Two millennia ago, when Nathaniel first heard about Jesus living in Nazareth, his bias was evident. Nazareth?

Can anything good come from there? He asked in John 1 46. Nathaniel lived in the region of Galilee, like Jesus. He probably thought God's Messiah would come from another place.

Even other Galileans looked down on Nazareth because it seemed to be an unremarkable little village. This much is clear. Nathaniel's response didn't stop Jesus from loving him, and he was transformed as he became Jesus' disciple. You are the Son of God, Nathaniel later declared.

There is no bias that can stand against God's transforming love. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from John chapter 1 verses 43 through 51, an interesting passage. The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, Follow me. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathaniel and told him, We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and about whom the prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nazareth?

Can anything good come from there? Nathaniel asked. Come and see, said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.

How do you know me? Nathaniel asked. Jesus answered, I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you. Then Nathaniel declared, Rabbi, you are the Son of God.

You are the King of Israel. Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than that.

He then added, Very truly I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. Let's pray. Loving God, we need your help to overcome any biases we may have and to love others with the love that could only come from you. Help us, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for listening today. My name is James Banks, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.