We have an unfortunate tendency to equate success with approval and validation from God. This is even (especially?) true when it comes to ministry. As if faithfulness to God can be quantified in numbers - churches with growing attendance, evangelistic series with more baptisms, colporteurs with a lot of book sales. Let’s be honest: we like immediate results.

I noticed something interesting regarding this in Acts 7. Stephen had just been accused of speaking against the sanctuary, the law, and Moses. In a rather brilliant speech, he turns the tables on the Sanhedrin and, using their own history, points out that they are actually the ones speaking against the sanctuary, the law, and Moses.

Nonetheless, things didn’t go so well for Stephen. The Jews were so enraged that they murdered him on the spot. Not only that, but Stephen’s speech prompts such bloodthirsty fury in the Jews that simply killing him isn’t enough – now they want to kill all the Christians! “On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem” (Acts 8:1). Now those are some immediate results, for sure, but not quite the kind I was talking about.

Let’s back up a few chapters. Acts 2 contains another famous speech in the early history of the church. This one, given by Peter, is not too dissimilar from the one Stephen gave, and yet it had drastically different results: over 3,000 people were baptized!

So Peter’s preaching results in thousands who are converted and baptized.

And Stephen’s preaching results in not only his death, but severe persecution for the entire church.

Huh.

Is anyone ready to suggest that Stephen was less faithful than Peter? That his lack of immediate numerical results is somehow a sign of failure on his part? I think not. Both were faithful. Both served God in the moment to which he had called them.

It would do us well to remember that God is more patient than we are. And that he has the big picture in mind, while we often only focus on what is right in front of our faces.

Let us also remember that faithfulness to God is not measured in numbers. God has called us each to different places, different roles, different purposes. Set your heart to the task God has set before you, and leave the results in his hands.

It is one of the defining moments in the ministry of Jesus. For the first time, he stands up in his church, in his hometown, and proclaims the purpose for his life. Amidst friends and family, neighbors who’ve known him since he was toddling around chasing the chickens and goats, who’ve seen him sweating over the construction of their tables and chairs, in front of these people who know him better than anyone else on earth, he stands up and reads:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set free the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Let that sink in. Wow. Breathtakingly beautiful. That is what Jesus is about. That is why he came to earth. From his own lips, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” I love that this is Jesus’ mission statement! His church must’ve been excited, too, right? Yeah, sort of.

“They were all speaking well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His mouth, yet they said, ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’”

They couldn’t deny the power of his words. They were captivated, to be sure. But something wasn’t quite right. They knew this man. They knew who he was, had him figured out, knew what to expect… and this, this was not matching up with their expectations.

Jesus knows exactly what is going through their minds. “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ ‘All we’ve heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in Your hometown also.’”

In other words, unless they saw direct evidence to establish proof of what he claimed, they weren’t going to believe. Why should they, after all? They knew who Jesus was.

Sometimes familiarity is a dangerous advantage.

As we will continue to see throughout Jesus’ life, sometimes those closest to the religion of God are the furthest from the person of God. As a Christian, as someone who grew up in the church, as someone who has spent a great deal of time in church culture, this is a sobering thought.

After all, I know Jesus. I know who he is and what he is all about… right? I’ve got him figured out. I know what to expect. I am his next door neighbor. I sit next to him in church every week. But what happens when he stands up in my life, and says something that doesn’t match my expectations?

This happens more often than I’d like to admit. I come across some passage from Scripture, some words right from the lips of Jesus, and I want to skip over them, leave them behind, because they just don’t fit who I know Jesus to be.

Mercy.

Jesus concludes with two poignant examples illustrating the danger of familiarity that leads to closed eyes, and the blessedness of opening our eyes to who God really is. He says that there were many widows in Israel during the great famine, but that Elijah was instead sent to a Gentile widow. And again, during Elisha’s time, there were many in Israel with leprosy, but the only one healed was a pagan who sought out God.

Jesus’ point is clear: God is not confined to work only for those who “know” him. In fact, sometimes it is those who know the least about him who are most open to who God really is. God reveals himself to those who are open to let him be himself. Even if they are “outside” the church.

Regardless of who you are, what your background or experience has been, the point is this: let Jesus be himself with you. And be open to the possibility that sometimes this means letting go of long-cherished ideas about him, and inviting in the beautiful, challenging, surprising, exhilarating mystery of Jesus himself.