hard to learn from those we know

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Luke 4:1-30. In this story, Jesus reveals that He is the Messiah. And the people He tells get mad because they think they know Him - but they reveal that they don't know Him at all.

But their reaction is a very human one. We don't like to learn from those close to us, do we? Because we know their weaknesses. We know their bad habits and we remember the times when they were wrong. It takes humility to listen to your neighbor, or the guy at work you don't like, or your family member who always argues with you. When God uses them to teach us something, we have to leave our pride outside, and in humility listen to what is true - even if we don't like the source.

If the people in Nazareth had done this, their lives would have been totally different. Jesus would have performed many miracles in their lives. Let's try to respond better when He works in OUR lives through those that we think we know.

God, thanks for speaking into our lives... even when it's through unlikely sources.