Don't Know What You've Got
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle B
Don't Know What You've Got
He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. (vv. 1-6a)
In the movie, Hoosiers, Gene Hackman portrays basketball coach Norman Dale who came to tiny Hickory High School in 1954 to teach history and coach the Huskers. He is an outsider who brings a different coaching style than the residents of the small Indiana town are accustomed to. He wants the team to learn defense and discipline as well as offense. He immediately rubs several of the locals the wrong way. Also, Hickory is so small they wonder why a coach in his upper forties would be coaching in such a tiny town.
What the residents don't know is that Coach Dale has an outstanding record with his previous teams. He knows basketball and has wonderful credentials, including coaching in college. He coached the Ithaca Warriors to an NCAA championship, but he had made a crucial mistake. He physically assaulted one of his players and was banned by the NCAA and the New York High School State Athletic Association.
Because they disagree with Coach Dale's basketball philosophy and they are upset that he has not pursued the school's best player, Jimmy Chitwood, who had decided to give up basketball, the townspeople call a town meeting. They vote to dismiss Coach Dale. But before they dismiss the coach, Jimmy Chitwood walks into the room and announces that he will start playing basketball again. The entire room erupts with applause, but then Jimmy lays down the conditions of his return. He says, "I play, coach stays. He goes, I go."
The townspeople call for a re-vote. This time Coach Dale is supported to stay. He begins to create a winning team. In fact, the team eventually goes on to win the then Indiana state championship -- beating much larger schools along the journey. In the process, the coach saves his career, builds the town's self-image, gives Jimmy an opportunity to go to college, and wins the town's support. However, maybe more importantly, he salvages the life of the town drunk who is the estranged father to one of the players.
It is striking that, at first, the town didn't recognize the greatness of their coach. They had no faith in him at all. But once they came to believe and recognized his abilities, lives were significantly changed.
In the scripture, the people of Nazareth lost a great opportunity by not seeing the greatness in their midst. They failed to see Jesus as more than the carpenter son of Mary. They couldn't conceive that something good could come out of their tiny little town. They closed their minds and hearts. They refused to believe and it affected his effectiveness to change their lives.
He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. (vv. 1-6a)
In the movie, Hoosiers, Gene Hackman portrays basketball coach Norman Dale who came to tiny Hickory High School in 1954 to teach history and coach the Huskers. He is an outsider who brings a different coaching style than the residents of the small Indiana town are accustomed to. He wants the team to learn defense and discipline as well as offense. He immediately rubs several of the locals the wrong way. Also, Hickory is so small they wonder why a coach in his upper forties would be coaching in such a tiny town.
What the residents don't know is that Coach Dale has an outstanding record with his previous teams. He knows basketball and has wonderful credentials, including coaching in college. He coached the Ithaca Warriors to an NCAA championship, but he had made a crucial mistake. He physically assaulted one of his players and was banned by the NCAA and the New York High School State Athletic Association.
Because they disagree with Coach Dale's basketball philosophy and they are upset that he has not pursued the school's best player, Jimmy Chitwood, who had decided to give up basketball, the townspeople call a town meeting. They vote to dismiss Coach Dale. But before they dismiss the coach, Jimmy Chitwood walks into the room and announces that he will start playing basketball again. The entire room erupts with applause, but then Jimmy lays down the conditions of his return. He says, "I play, coach stays. He goes, I go."
The townspeople call for a re-vote. This time Coach Dale is supported to stay. He begins to create a winning team. In fact, the team eventually goes on to win the then Indiana state championship -- beating much larger schools along the journey. In the process, the coach saves his career, builds the town's self-image, gives Jimmy an opportunity to go to college, and wins the town's support. However, maybe more importantly, he salvages the life of the town drunk who is the estranged father to one of the players.
It is striking that, at first, the town didn't recognize the greatness of their coach. They had no faith in him at all. But once they came to believe and recognized his abilities, lives were significantly changed.
In the scripture, the people of Nazareth lost a great opportunity by not seeing the greatness in their midst. They failed to see Jesus as more than the carpenter son of Mary. They couldn't conceive that something good could come out of their tiny little town. They closed their minds and hearts. They refused to believe and it affected his effectiveness to change their lives.
