John 1:47 – “Here is a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false.”

John 1:48b: “I saw you while you were still underneath the fig tree…”

Jesus called Nathanael a TRUE Israelite, one whose religion was honest and came from the integrity of his heart. He wasn’t a showman, but like a solid gold bar, he was the same on the inside as he appeared on the outside.

But this next statement is what really grabs my attention.  I love how Jesus says, “there is nothing false” in Nathanael. He doesn’t say, “There is very little false,” but he purposely uses the word, ‘nothing‘.  He goes on to point out his complete knowledge of Nathanael by letting him know that He saw him while Nathanael was under the fig tree being convinced by Philip to come see Jesus. When he was sitting under the tree, Nathanael was still in doubt that Jesus was anyone to be taken seriously.  I think it’s cool that the Lord doesn’t hold our skepticism against us before we have a chance to meet him for ourselves. And there have been many times in my life, even after knowing the Lord,when my perception of God and his ways have been really incorrect.  I”m glad that God doesn’t hold that against me and that He looks at the integrity of my heart – even in my ignorance.  What a relief to know that I’m not disqualified by what I don’t know!

Jesus, your admiration for this internal and external integrity is obvious.  Lord help me to be someone of whom You can say, “Here is someone in whom there is nothing false”!