We human beings can tend to have preconceived notions of someone that limit our ability to truly see the person. An example of this happened in 2009 when the middle-aged, frumpy, and unattractive Susan Boyle took the stage. There were snickers and whispers. When she began to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” beautifully note after note, their experience of her changed.
A similar thing happens in the gospel today. In his hometown, people saw Jesus as the carpenter, Mary’s son, and a familiar face. They could not see beyond these familiar notions of Jesus to appreciate his marvelous ability to teach and do mighty deeds. Their tunnel vision kept them from experiencing the truth of Jesus as the Christ.
Our notion and experience of Christ must continue to grow and expand. We cannot be content with what we learned and knew in grade school. How has your experience of Christ grown over the years? How have you been surprised by the Spirit in your understanding of Christ?