Does Jesus Fit Your Box?

In his writing Tale of Melibee, Geoffrey Chaucer was the first English writer to pen the words "familiarity breeds contempt." However, it was Publilius of Rome who first used the phrase 1300 years earlier.

What does the phrase familiarity breeds contempt mean? The closer we get to a person the more we know their flaws, quirks, and shortcomings. The more familiar we are with a person, the more casual we tend to view our relationship with them.

It can be especially difficult to know a person growing up and then reframe your perception of them as a mature adult. Imagine the difficulty of those who knew Jesus as a young boy with braces and acne while growing up in Nazareth.

In Luke 4:14-30, word had been spreading about Jesus teaching and activities throughout the region of Galilee. News about Jesus was going viral, even making its way back to Nazareth.

Luke alone records Jesus returning to his hometown of Nazareth. It was there, that Jesus launched his ministry with his first recorded sermon at his home synagogue (or church).

Was there a ticker-tap parade? Did the crowd roar in support? Did they throw a great feast to celebrate the hometown hero? Nope! They actually tried to kill him.

To them, Jesus was simply the son of Joseph, not the Son of God. They had put Jesus in a box. Their familiarity with Jesus led to their contempt of Jesus.
Have you grown too familiar, casual, or indifferent in your relationship with Jesus?