Learning a lesson from Nathaniel

In today's Gospel, John 1: 45-50, Philip finds Nathaniel sitting under a fig tree and tells him that they have found "the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth."   Nathaniel initially is sarcastic and replies:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip says to him: "Come and see!"  Nathaniel has two choices: one, refuse, and stay stuck in his prejudice responding to the invitation with:  "Absolutely not! I am not interested in meeting anyone from Nazareth.  The reputation of that place is horrible!"  Or, responding as he did by accepting Philip's invitation to come and find out for himself. Jesus spots Philip and Nathaniel coming toward him and says of Nathaniel:  "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him."  Shocked, Nathaniel asks: "How do you know me?"  (emphasis mine). And Jesus says: "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."  With that statement from the Holy One, the Son of God made man, Nathaniel's eyes are opened and he professes his faith in Jesus, proclaiming that Jesus is "the Son of God; ...the King of Israel!"   Nathaniel's life is changed forever. He stays is transformed by listening to His every word and following Him, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Just as Jesus knew Nathaniel through and through, so, too, does He know you and me. No matter where we are, under which"fig tree" we are sitting, He sees us and loves us!  Many times, God uses
other people to invite us to get to know Him intimately, to follow His way of life, to embrace the Truth of who He is and what He wants of us, as He used Philip to call Nathaniel.  At other times, He uses us to invite others to know the Way, the Truth and the Life that Jesus is for each one of us.

Do we, like Nathaniel, respond positively? Or do we, as did Nathaniel initially, respond with sarcasm and, unlike him, walk away, having nothing to do with Jesus or His way of life?  How open are we to letting God use us to invite others to Himself and His way of life?  Are we a model,  as was Nathaniel, and would Jesus say of us, as He said of Nathaniel:  (insert your name), is a true child of  Israel,  in our case, a true child of God, a true Christian?  If not, why not?

Lord, may we truly recognize you as the Son of God and, like Nathaniel, follow you and get to know you intimately!  May we be open to invitations to "Come and see," as Nathaniel was and thus encounter You, the one true God, the Holy One, the Way, the Truth and the Life in situations or persons we might otherwise avoid, judging wrongly, dismissing such with: "Can anything good  come from that person or that situation"!  And may we, also,  let You use us to invite others to grow in their relationship with You!