FAMILIARITY; The Silent Killer of Blessings

Being familiar with someone means having so much acquaintance and ordinariness and easy relations that you become less serious about the immaterial things he/she can offer. Like your usual pair of slippers, such a person becomes common to you because of incessant interaction. This happened to the Nazarenes, with Jesus.

Prophet without Honour (Matthew 13:54-58)

And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” - Matthew 13:57

Jesus went back to Nazareth, where he grew up. He visited their synagogue and was given the opportunity to speak. After speaking with so much wisdom to the surprise of those seated, they began asking questions – Is this not the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? – Matthew 13:55. To them, he was supposed to be a common ‘local boy’. To them, there was nothing special about Him and His family to be such an exceptional person.

That is what we miss daily with some of the people we have in our lives. We are so familiar with our parents, friends, fellow staff, siblings, neighbours, etc. to the extent that we fail to see what is special about them (virtues, wisdom, character, anointing) that we could benefit from. Jesus had to leave those in close proximity to Him because of familiarity. He seemed too common for them to be able to receive what He had in Him. Even though He was called Jesus of Nazareth but He did the least in Nazareth because of familiarity – the people thought He was just a Carpenter’s son.

The Greater Blesses the Lesser
It is beyond dispute that the inferior (lesser) is blessed by the superior (greater) - Hebrews 7:7

Anyone who has what you desire has the right and ability to bless you with it, consciously or unconsciously. The one who has the blessing you desire is the greater (superior), and you, seeker of the blessing, is the lesser (inferior). This is a spiritual principle most of us miss. Through honour and service to the greater, you can receive the blessing that you desire. Elisha used this principle to receive Elijah’s anointing. He conditioned himself through honour and service while he walked with Elijah. He never became familiar with his boss to miss or unrecognised the good things in him that he desired. They may have eaten, slept, or walked together most of their time together but Elijah never became common to Elisha because Elisha didn’t lose sight of what he desired from the greater. Never let the greater in your life become common such that you forget the good things you desire in, with or about him.

Sons of the Priest

None of Eli’s sons ever became like their father because to them, he was just a father, but to Samuel he was the Priest training him. So Eli’s sons behaved unfavourably and died as common people, unlike Samuel who honoured and served Eli till he caught the anointing to take over from him.

Not all things are hereditary. Some things are taught, others are caught (in the spirit). Even though Jesus walked with them for about three years, not all His disciples amounted to much. Some did very well but Judas Iscariot died miserably. Perhaps to Judas, he was just the guy holding the group’s money. So the fact that you relate with a greater person doesn’t automatically qualify you to receive from him/her. Your motives count a lot.

You need to break from being familiar to be blessed. Some have also become too familiar with their church and what they do at church that they no longer receive the blessings flowing through the church. You’ll see how better you’d become only by the art of association, void of familiarity. The reality of familiarity can be a calamity. Break from it!

May the Lord mend our nets!

We appreciate you reading from mendmynet. If you find our articles useful, kindly share them with those you know on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter.

43 Comments

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *