These scriptural reflections by the Rev. Dr. Sandra Bochonok are copyrighted, but you are free to reproduce them for your own noncommercial personal or church use. Other uses require permission of the author, who may be reached at revsandyb@aol.com.

"Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.' " John 1:46

Have you ever heard someone express a negative and damaging stereotype about someone they have never met? If so, I would like to invite you into an unhurried experience with Philip and Nathaniel's conversation in John 1:46-51.

Nathanael immediately showed his bias against towards those from Nazareth. Nazareth was a small, secluded village that did not enjoy a good reputation. Nathanael was from a better neighborhood, the village of Bethsaida. Perhaps he viewed Nazareth as a rival village with inferior morals or as a poverty stricken neighborhood. Nathanael was deeply religious and well versed in the ancient scriptures from his religious tradition. He too, hoped and prayed for the coming of the Messiah that Moses and many other ancient prophets spoke of.

Philip wisely did not try to persuade, manipulate, coerce or force his friend to believe anything good from Jesus of Nazareth. He simply said, "come and see." And his invitation still rings true for readers today. Come and see for yourself. Come and investigate this stranger sent from God. Come and see.

We stereotype people, sometimes without realizing it. Stereotypes prevent us from experiencing people as individuals. It is much easier to categorize and even demonize people rather than get to know them. We grow up hearing about how men are different than women, or how one religion is preferred over others. Rich people do this and poor people do that. Many have overt or covert ethnic or racial feelings of superiority, lived out in many subtle and not so subtle ways.

Sometimes our prejudices are verbalized as devout religious convictions. I will always remember a story about a deeply religious man who said he would donate money to feed the homeless and after much thought and prayer, he would include hungry gay and lesbian people, but he would "refuse to hire these immoral people for a job." These hateful and ungodly stereotypes demean, ridicule, reject and harm many innocent people.

I grew up in an era when the Archie Bunker television show was popular in the United States of America. Archie was the bigot everyone loved. He would vehemently verbalize his strong prejudicial and passionate emotions. Through laughter, we recognized bigotry. Often it was our own. Through the Archie Bunker show, millions of people realized bigotry and hateful stereotyping was no respecter of race, religion, creed, ethnicity or sexual orientation. The Archie Bunker show revealed how similar we are.

Where do we harbor damaging stereotypes that prevent us from seeing others as people who reflect God's divine image? Are we promoting religious bigotry and hatred towards those we have never met or do not understand? What stereotypes do we carry in our hearts and teach to our children? How are we perpetuating harmful attitudes? Take a moment and list them. Commit them to God and be open to new truth. Go out of your way to establish personal relationships with those you have demeaned through negative stereotyping. Take a risk and trust God in the process.

Or have we experienced damaging stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, class or cultural backgrounds? Journal your feelings and identify where such damaging stereotypes have harmed you. Take comfort in the knowledge that Jesus has experienced your pain and can help you.

Prayer: God, perhaps we too, are blinded by prejudice towards Jesus or others. Give us the eyes to see and the ears to hear our own words and attitudes. Help us be like Nathanael and be willing to come and see new truths. Amen.