Lessons from Israel: Mt. Arbel

Of all the knowledge I gained in Israel, one of the most important insights is scale.  We live in a large state in a very large country.  I guess I’ve naturally and subconsciously imagined Israel on the same scale.  When Jesus traveled from one town to another, I assumed that he was going from Grand Rapids to Detroit, or from Grand Haven to Chicago.  The reality is much different. The towns and villages that became the seat of Jesus’ ministry were nearly within shouting distance of each other.  Capernaum, Korazin, and Bethsaida are three villages known as “The Jesus Triangle.” Jesus spent about 90% of his ministry in these three towns. They are all within a five mile radius of each other.  An easy and accurate parallel is to think of our own tri-cities. The top photo below is a picture of the north end of the Sea of Galilee from Mt. Arbel. The second photo is zoomed in on the area where Jesus spent the vast majority of his ministry.

It helps me realize that I don’t have to travel extensively to serve God.  Often it is a sustained and faithful service in one small area that creates the most impact.  When you think about serving God, do you typically imagine going someplace else to do it? Do you believe faithful service involves extensive travel?  While Jesus took a few “mission trips” in his life, he was focused on one small area in God’s vast earth. God has put us where we are for a reason. Be faithful where you’ve been placed and don’t underestimate the impact your life can have there.