John 1:35–51
When the first disciples begin following Jesus, he turns and asks them: “What are you looking for?” Their reply is simple, almost ordinary: “Rabbi, where are you staying?”
It’s a question about location, but it’s also about presence. They aren’t asking for a lecture or a creed. They want to know where Jesus dwells—where his life is rooted, where his love is lived out. And Jesus responds not with an address, but with an invitation: “Come and see.”
Where Jesus Stays
Jesus doesn’t stay in the places we expect. He doesn’t dwell in prestige or power. He stays in Nazareth, a town dismissed by Nathanael: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” He stays in the margins, among the overlooked, the ordinary, the doubted.
If we only look for Jesus in the places we already approve of, we may miss him altogether. Our prejudices—about people, neighborhoods, denominations, or political identities—can blind us to Christ’s presence. We say, “Nothing good can come from there,” and in doing so, we close the door on curiosity.
Where We Stay
The question also turns back on us: Where are you staying? Where do we dwell—in openness or in judgment, in curiosity or in dismissal? Do we stay in echo chambers, only among those who think like us? Or do we risk staying in places of encounter, where God surprises us through people we didn’t expect?
Hospitality and Curiosity
Hospitality begins with presence. To ask “Where are you staying?” is to say, “I want to be where you are.” But if our prejudices keep us from entering certain spaces or welcoming certain people, our hospitality falters. We cannot embody Christ’s welcome if we refuse to dwell with those we’ve already judged.
Invitation
Jesus’ answer is still the same: “Come and see.”
Come and see where Christ is dwelling today—in the neighbor you’ve dismissed, in the community you’ve overlooked, in the silence you’ve feared. Come and see, and be surprised by grace.
Closing Prayer
Lord, open our eyes to where you are staying.
Break down the walls of our prejudice.
Teach us to dwell in curiosity, hospitality, and love.
And invite us, again and again, to come and see.
