Give a Fellow a Chance

Philip came running to Nathaniel, wide-eyed with excitement. "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write," he said breathlessly, "Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

"Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Nathaniel asked scornfully.

"Come and see," answered Philip (John 1:45-46)

Nathaniel did go to see Jesus and became one of his followers. How many times in the months that followed, as he watched Jesus healing the sick and giving comfort to the downtrodden and preaching to great crowds of people, he must have thought of those words: "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?"

Too often we are too quick to form opinions about people we don't know or haven't even seen. Some of your best friends are probably people you once thought you would never learn to like. Then as you became acquainted with them, watched them do things, listened to them talk, you changed your mind about them. And too, you are probably sorry for the time you lost before you got to know and like them.

Take a good look at yourself and ask:

Do I form opinions about people before I know them?
Am I willing to change a bad opinion to a good one when I find that I am wrong about someone?
Do I give the other fellow a fair chance to prove he's OK?
Am I giving Jesus a fair chance to be my friend?
Am I willing to take him into my confidence and trust in him?

Forgive me my past insults to others, O Christ, and be my friend.