Everywhere Jesus went the regular folks were astonished and amazed. They were blown away not only by his miracles but by his teaching as well. But there was one place in particular that the folks were just not impressed, and that was his hometown of Nazareth.

Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but he was raised in Nazareth. And after being away for a while in fulltime in ministry, he returned to his hometown. And when he came there to teach in his home synagogue, the folks were especially offended by him. It wasn’t really what he said, but that it was coming from him. They were like who does this guy think he is? I mean I helped change his diaper in the nursery. I watched him build my house with his daddy. His mama lives just right over there. I went to high school with that dude. Look, I know all of his brothers and sisters. They live right here in this community. And now he’s come back and acts like he’s above us.

And then Jesus said these famous words there in Matthew 13, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown, and in his own household.”

Friends, as you step out and try to live for God, just know that some of your biggest doubters will likely be the people in the place that you grew up in. People that you used to play ball with or went to school with or lived on the same street as. These folks and others like them will likely struggle because they knew the old you.

But never let their doubt discourage the new you. You just keep on following God, speaking the truth of God, and doing what God has called you to do no matter what they think because God has a bigger blessing in store for you. Greater than those folks could ever understand.

Change begins in you!