“And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:46 NKJV)

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? This was a question asked of one of Jesus’ disciples Nathanael – and Phillip said to him; “Come and see.” Nathanael was from Cana, a Galilean town just to the North of Nazareth. While Galileans were despised by Judeans, Galileans themselves despised people from Nazareth. Nazareth was a small village located on a hill about 15 miles southwest of Tiberias. It is here where Joseph and Mary resided and where Jesus spend most of his childhood. The Bible says that Jesus grew up in a Godly home (Matthew 1:19, Luke 2:21-50). It is in Nazareth that Jesus preached that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him and that He was called to preach the gospel to all people (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus travelled, ministered and preached all over Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem and the Gospel message spread all over the world. Christianity today is still the largest religion in the world. And it all began in Nazareth.

Clatt, is a small village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Andrew Murray and his wife Isabella moved from Lofthills to Aberdeenshire and made their home there while working in the Mill of Clatt. After the Napoleonic wars, the family frequently faced great straits with poverty and illness. Despite their challenges, Andrew remained a man of considerable piety and character. He spend many nights praying for each of his children. One of his children felt called by God to become a missionary in South Africa. He arrived in 1822, married Maria Steggman and they resided in the then colony of Graaff-Reinet in South Africa. It is from here that they raised 16 children and planted several churches. He soon became the well-known Andrew Murray who prepared the way for revival in many South African communities. His life and example impacted five of his sons to become ministers and his daughters to marry ministers. Over the years his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren planted churches, started schools, wrote books, taught, served, and filled high ranking positions in society while reaching people with the gospel of Christ. The Murray family impacted South Africa in a profound way and it all began in Clatt.

History is filled with examples of famous singers, actors, authors or leaders that came from either small towns, poor families or simple businesses that started out in a garage. The Bible is also filled with examples of farmers, leaders, disciples and apostles that came from small villages, with insignificant occupations who became well known to the end of their lives. There are many encouraging stories that have their roots in humble beginnings. Moses was found in a small basket in the reeds of the Nile (Exodus 2:1-10). David grew up as a shepherd’s boy. The disciples were fishermen, tentmakers and tax collectors. Though, all of these men had ordinary beginnings in life, they were all used in extraordinary ways in the Kingdom of God.

The world is constantly amazed to see what God can do when He finds a man, woman or family that is willing to have faith in and obey God. It is evident that there is no limit to what God can do through someone whose heart and life is wholly yielded and committed to Him. People ask the same questions today. Can that drunk really turn his life around, can those children really amount to something in life can this situation really be resolved? Could anything good come out of Nazareth? Can anything good come from your life? The answer is yes, with God it can. Do you believe that God can use you and change your situation, life and immediate environment, even the world? If you find yourself in a seemingly hopeless or insignificant place in life? Be encouraged by the truth that God can and wants to use you in His eternal Kingdom plan. How you begin is not what is important, but how you end.