When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. 

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 

Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
John 1:47-51 NIV

Early in the book of John, Nathanael is highlighted as a man of truth and honesty. But aside from that, we don’t know much about him or his story.

However, we know that he has a story—and whatever it might be, Jesus saw him. Jesus saw his past. Jesus saw his story.

And reflecting on this passage, we can see that we all will have our own fig tree moments.

Friends, there will be times that we find ourselves sitting under the fig tree. Maybe its branches are the various ways your life has been impacted by that grief or addition. Or maybe the roots were only the beginning, and soon enough you had a whole tree growing over you. Maybe the tree’s shadow gave you a chill and worried you: what if you never feel the light of the Son again?

But then we look at Nathanael and what Jesus told him. We don’t need to know all of Nathanael’s story or past to leave without takeaway thoughts because the biggest one is this:

Before we knew Him, He saw us.

And in that, we can find comfort that there will be a day that we see Christ without our vision being obscured by the fig tree’s branches.

Praying for you all.
~Willow