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"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
"Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, 
I saw you," Jesus answered. 
"Rabbi,"
Nathanael replied, 
"You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!"
John 1:48-49 CSB
The cynical Nathanael who had insulted Jesus because of where he came from, who pushed back against Jesus honest and uplifting description of him, is now completely turned around.
His words to Jesus are words of acknowledgement and  honour.
What changed?
Jesus saw him. 
Saw him under the fig tree. 
We don't know what happened there, but it must've been something intensely personal to Nathanael. 
Maybe he was at his best; giving, sharing, encouraging, saving a life.
Maybe he was at his worst;  hurting, blackmailing, taking.
Maybe he was being hurt. Abused. Hated.
We're not told when he was under the fig tree, today, yesterday, last year, 10 years ago, as a child, or where it was.
But those words of Jesus turned Nathanael's heart and trajectory.
"I saw you"
At our best, at our worst, at our most vulnerable.
Maybe that's comforting, confronting, disturbing, but for Nathanael Jesus gentle quiet words were life giving and life changing. 
Jesus has life giving words for us too. 
For you.
Listen for his voice today.
#known
#seen
#loved
#speaklife

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