Going the distance
Did you know that Bethlehem is only six miles south of Jerusalem? And Nazareth, the city of Jesus’ childhood home was ninety miles from Bethlehem. Thus, the real distance between where Mary began her journey of motherhood and where it ended was less than 100 miles. Remember, she pondered all these things in her heart. She knew God was present, she also knew how things could end for her son.
During his ministry, it is thought that Jesus traveled roughly 50 miles east and west and up to 150 miles north and south. But the region of Galilee, where Jesus performed most of his miracles and ministry was only about 3.5 square miles! Now, when our children and grandchildren tell us there is nothing to do ‘way out here’ we can say, “Jesus lived his whole life in a space no larger than the distance from Lexington to Richmond. And furthermore, the fullest years of his life happened within 3.5 miles…. that’s less distance than from the church to the elementary school. Now, git!”
What I want us as followers of the babe born in Bethlehem, the babe whose destiny it was to travel up to the mountain of God in Jerusalem, is that his ministry was impactful even though it occurred in a rural location. You’ll recall people like Nathanael asked Phillip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Obviously, we believe the answer is yes. But do we believe anything good can come from our little corner of the world? Do we trust that we have the energy, the intelligence, the imagination, and the love to be instruments of God’s grace? Do we dare to believe that in the five- or ten-mile radius between our little Presbyterian church signs along the roadways that point to our building, we can make a difference? You’ll recall Jesus charged his closest followers to make disciples of all nations before the inventions of the planes, trains, and automobiles! They were to begin in Jerusalem right where they were. And as their ministry gained momentum it would travel into places beyond their comfort, Judea, Samaria. And finally, to all the earth.
What Jesus did in Galilee you can do here at home. In fact, I suspect you already are! Jesus would stop along the road and chat with the folks working in the fields or along the shoreline. Perhaps taking a noonday break under a scrub tree for a bit of sustenance. Do you stop and check in on your neighbors that way? Jesus would often be invited into someone’s home for supper. He would graciously accept these invitations even though these were often people that would be shunned in other circumstances. Do you visit the sick and infirm? Do you deliver meals, do you invite others to eat with you? If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, I daresay what we often describe as being neighborly, is in fact being Christian. So before you tell yourself you cannot make an impact remember what Jesus accomplished in just 3.5 miles.