© By the Rev. Edward Chinn, D.Min.

“To grow is to outgrow.” There is a sea creature called “the chambered nautilus” that illustrates this proverb. It starts out in life as a baby in a one-room compartment. As the nautilus grows, it builds a larger room onto its original home. It then moves into this larger living space. It erects a pearly wall behind itself. This wall seals off that previous stage of development. The nautilus adds a new chamber to its shell each time it outgrows its old chamber. The shell of the chambered nautilus forms a spiral of gradually enlarging compartments. In a similar way, “Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom” (Luke 2:52 TEV).

Jesus of Nazareth outgrew his family’s views. The record says: “When Jesus returned to the house where he was staying, the crowds began to gather again, and soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him home with them. ‘He’s out of his mind,’ they said” (Mark 3:20-21 NLT). Another account says: “Even Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him” (John 7:5 NCV). These experiences probably lie behind Jesus’ words: “Your worst enemies will be in your own family” (Matthew 10:36 CEV). Like the chambered nautilus, Jesus found that to grow was to outgrow.

Jesus of Nazareth outgrew his friends’ views. At the peak of his popularity, Jesus began to teach his followers that he would suffer rejection from the powers in Jerusalem. “Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. He said, ‘God would never let this happen to you, Lord!’ Jesus turned to Peter and said, ‘Satan, get away from me! You’re in my way because you think like everyone else and not like God'” (Matthew 16:22-23 CEV). Similarly, when a Samaritan village didn’t welcome him, Jesus’ followers wanted the village destroyed by fire from heaven, “but Jesus turned and scolded them” (Luke 9:55 NCV).

Jesus of Nazareth outgrew his own views. One day Jesus crossed the border into Gentile territory. A foreign woman came to him asking help for her daughter. Uncharacteristically, Jesus first ignored her, then said to his disciples that her problem was not his business, and finally referred to her as a Gentile “dog” (Matthew 15:21-28). Why did the early writers include this unflattering picture of Jesus? I think it was because this meeting with an outsider was a snapshot of the moment when Jesus outgrew his own views, widened his horizons, and acted on the principle “that God treats all people alike” (Acts 10:34 CEV). For Jesus, also, to grow was to outgrow his family, his friends, and himself.