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Colleen Mallette compares the story of Nathanael’s calling as a disciple to our calling as Christians.

“I saw you under the fig tree.” (John 1:48)

 

Jesus said this to Nathanael the first time they met. Implied in that comment is the idea that Jesus was not actually present or anywhere near the fig tree and couldn’t have actually seen Nathanael sitting under it with His own eyes.

Because of this, Nathanael immediately drops whatever lifestyle and work he was doing to become a follower of Jesus.

In the multi-season show The Chosen, the writers created a plausible backdrop to this scene which would explain it and give a strong reason why Nathanael would not hesitate to believe Jesus had supernatural powers and desire to become a follower. In their version, Nathanael was a Jewish architect struggling to prove his talents and grow his business in a Roman town. Then there was a structural accident at a church they were building of his design and the construction manager told Nathanael that he was fired and would be lucky to ever get work in this town ever again.

That was when Nathanael retreated to a deserted area and sat down under the fig tree. In the episode he burned the architectural drawings he had for that building and prayed out loud to God imploring Him to help give him direction with his life. He cried out, “This was done for You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress. Do you see me?”

When Jesus meets Nathanael soon after this, He tells him, “When you were in your lowest moment, and you were alone, I did not turn My face from you. I saw you under the fig tree.” Jesus is telling him that He was there with him under the fig tree. That He saw his tears and frustrations, that He heard his cries of anguish and confusion, and that He loved him enough to tell him and help him.

Then Jesus says, “You wanted to help build something that would cause prayer and songs and bring souls closer to God,” then follow Me. This line isn’t in the Bible, but it makes sense that Jesus would give Nathanael a reason to join Him along with a mission and purpose similar to his profession that would make sense to him. Just as he told Peter, Andrew, James and John that He would make them “fishers of men” because that would make sense to them and fit within their fishing careers.

 

man and woman walking along a dirt road

 

There are several things can we learn from this story:

  • Jesus is calling out to us as well. He wants us to come to Him in prayer and express our concerns and frustrations. Yet He wants us to know He is always with us and knows everything whether we tell Him in our prayers or not. God never leaves us.

  • God “sees” us. He sees what is in our hearts and on our minds. He made each of us as His unique child and knows what talents we have and what challenges us. He “gets” us. He wants us to be happy and use our gifts to glorify Him, and often gives us pointers and nudges to get us to move in that direction.

  • Nathanael was blessed to physically hear the answer to his prayer right from Jesus’ mouth and feel His loving embrace. We may not hear Jesus answer us directly as Nathanael did, but we often feel a sense of peace from within when we know we are following God’s way. Besides, God gave us the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us in times of struggle. He is within us to provide that loving presence.

  • We are to be reassured that God hears all of our cries and longs to provide that support and guidance. We only have to turn to Him and ask.

 

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We may not hear Jesus answer us directly as Nathanael did, but we often feel a sense of peace from within when we know we are following God’s way. #catholicmom

Is there something bothering you today or a decision you are struggling to make? Don’t be afraid to cry out to God and ask, “Do you see me, Lord?” Then trust He will answer you.


Copyright 2021 Colleen Mallette
Images: Canva Pro