04.01 | Begin in the Darkness
Matthew 4:12-25
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”Matthew 4:15-16 | Isaiah 9:1-2
My wife works in marketing. She, like all people in her field, knows that if you want to build momentum, you need to be highly intentional about who you go to with your message. You need to find your people.
Most of us in the digital age are also doing this. Social media acts as a kind of online PR tool for our selves, presenting the views, experiences, ideas, and values that we feel are important to our own personal brand. But however big our aspirations are, Jesus’ are bigger.
We might want popularity among our peers, career success, happiness and good relationships and enough money, a sense of purpose and meaning and fulfilment.
Jesus wants to see all things that are broken to be brought to wholeness under His cosmic reign.
So where does He begin?
Galilee.
Backward. Irreligious. Overlooked. Poor. Simple. And full outsiders to the religion of Jesus’ heritage.
Even the prophet called it a place where people were “dwelling in darkness.” Ouch.
But notice this:
Jesus begins in the darkness.
It’s not a great marketing strategy.
And yet, it is so Jesus.
Because from this point on, He goes to the places of darkness. To the lonely, the hurting, the demonised, the strange, the irreligious, the corrupt. He goes to those with zero social capital and nothing worldly to offer Him. Jesus goes to the lowest and the most hurting, because He has a different endeavour.
He wants to restore the hurting to glory.
I wonder about us. It’s too easy to become a little strategic in who we give time to.
Who we want to talk to at the party. Who we want to hang out at break time. Who we sit next to in the staff room. Who we want to see and comment on our social media posts.
We tend to look high. We want the important people to notice. We feel affirmed when the important affirm us.
Jesus is so different. He looked low. He aimed for those who were not impressive by all values of the world, but who had been made for something beyond impressive by the Father who loved them. He gave the shape of a way of being that looks not to self-promotion, but to the raising up of others. He looked to begin a movement that was not dependents on the accolades of the wealthy and famous, but that looked to the restoration of the most broken. That, for Him, was a movement of true beauty.
Jesus went to Galilee.
Jesus began in the darkness.
Reflect:
Check my motives: How am I treating those around me right now? Do I view them as important for elevating my social capital and comfort? Which unseen person might He be pointing me to lay my own agendas aside for today?
Pray:
Father,
When I take a look at my day, my relationships, my friends,
Help me to see as you see.
Not to use people for my own self-promotion,
And to prop up my own fragile ego.
Help me to join you in seeing the ignored, the despised, the hurting, the lonely
Help me to see not what they are in this moment, but the glory for which you created them
Turn my values upside down
That they may gradually become the right way up
Show me the way to Galilee
That those dwelling there may glimpse your great light
In Jesus’ Name
And in Jesus’ Way,
Amen.
Old Testament:
For those doing the whole Bible in a year, your additional readings are here:
Genesis 9:18-11:32 | Psalm 3