John 1:43-49: Can Anything Come From Under A Fig Tree?

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

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.” - John 1:43-49

 People always seem surprised in the Bible when God sees them resting under a fig tree (see Jonah 4). Nathaniel's was a true Israelite whose fault was not lack of integrity but rather lack of imagination. He couldn't imagine a Messiah that came from Nazareth. We don't grasp how Jesus could be in a situation because our imagination is too small.  Fortunately, God doesn't need to meet our requirements before he acts. If we let him, he will blow our mind, allowing us to discover how much he knows us and our world. Once we see that, then maybe we can also let him be the expert in other areas.