“Country bumkins, eh?”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Thursday, January 18, 2024
Acts 4:8-13 (Forward, p. 81) CEV p. 1137
The official Jewish authority, the Sanhedrin, had good reason to be amazed. The men that were standing before them were Galileans, simply a bunch of hayseeds, ‘country bumkins’, if you will. These were the sort that one simply did not expect much from. As a group, they were regarded with dismay, and not a little bit of condescension and contempt. After all, they weren’t generally very learned, and certainly did not have the privilege of ready access to the Temple there in Jerusalem. As Nathanael was once heard to say about Jesus’ hometown, ‘can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ (John 1), this, unfortunately, was the regard that was generally held of Galilee in general. And, to make matters worse, Galileans were notable for having a rather distinctive—and somewhat unattractive to some—local dialect, sort of like the Newfies or Geordies of today.
And yet here were these men, fishermen actually, unabashedly setting the elite of Judaean society straight and telling them what none of them ever wanted to hear—namely the lame man had been healed through the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, the very man they had put to death. And not only that, Peter and John—for this is who it was—had the audacity to tell them that this self-same Jesus--the one that they had crucified—was the only person on earth that was able to provide salvation for humankind. Only Jesus had the power to save.
And, from their speech and demeanor, it was obvious that they were unschooled, unlearned men. But there was one thing that set them apart: it was known that they had been with Jesus! And can that not been said of what is hopefully the distinguishing mark of each Christian, of each of us: that we have been with Jesus? That somehow, knowing Jesus, growing close to Him, understanding and imitating Him, and trusting Him, will make a difference in our lives—and, in the way that we are seen and understood by others. “That they had been with Jesus”: should this not be an observation that should be said of each of us? Yes, even if someone else would think to label us, or write us off as ‘country bumkins’ or unschooled, or whatever, as some would have with the two disciples that day in Jerusalem. I would certainly hope so.
Forward notes: “This Jesus is ‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone” (verse 11).
Commemoration: The Confession of Saint Peter
“Jamaican reggae singer, the Honorable Robert (Bob) Nesta Marley, OM, wrote a song called ‘Cornerstone’ in which he paraphrased these words from the confession of Saint Peter, singing, ‘The stone that the builder refused shall always be the head cornerstone.’
“I was so moved by this sentiment of not overlooking certain people in the margins that I used it as one of the opening quotes for my doctoral dissertation on a highly controversial and misunderstood dance culture. Peter’s reference to the rejected stone not only describes Jesus but it is also a warning to us: we must be wary of who and what we dismiss by virtue of our own limited imaginations and beliefs.
“Look again to see the dignity, possibility, and potential in all. You never know who will become the head cornerstone in your life.”
Moving Forward: “Who or what is the chief cornerstone in your life? Give thanks for that foundation.”