A Prophet is Not Welcome in His Hometown

It's right there in the Bible! Jesus said it himself!

You've built yourself the American Dream, rose up the ladder and earned a fortune. The world accepts you as the executive professional that you really are. But the uncanny truth is that you are still the same small person when visiting the place where you grew up.

Aside from a few trustworthy individuals in your close circle, the ones who experienced your childhood seem to be unwilling to embrace the astounding career you have built for yourself. You try to sell your service to them (even for a discount) but they reject, as if in utter disbelief that you are worthy of providing that service.

You have done plenty to prove yourself outside of your hometown community. It would seem natural for those who loved and supported you in your early life to be proud of who you have become and to want to boast about your success. But nevertheless, it is the opposite!

Former teachers who used to nurture your mind. Moms that took you to soccer practice. The owner of the coffee shop where you would hang out and study for exams. Old classmates. They all seem to show a cold shoulder to your amazing life...and it hurts.

But just why do the ones who cared so much about you as a minor suddenly put a kibosh on their feelings toward you?

Let's break down reasoning on their end...

1. You are still a child to them.

It's no secret that parents and grandparents will always think of you as their little sweetheart and no matter how old you are, you will continue to be their child. This same mentality sits with those in your community who watched you grow. While parents and grandparents live to see their children succeed, others become stuck in the mindset that you are a child and refuse to look beyond that.

You were the little boy or girl who they took to soccer along with their sons and daughters. It is as if a time stamp is stuck to their memories. The image of you as that child has not left. So, naturally, you as an adult (no matter what career you have chosen) seems unreal to them and they are unwilling to accept it.

2. They remember what you've done.

The owner of that coffee shop remembers your college days when you came in drunk with your friends and he had to kick you out. The old classmate recalls the time when you told on her for cheating on a test. The neighbor can't forget the time you ran over his mailbox. Though these days are long gone, you have put your permanent tattoo on your hometown.

Unfortunately, people are unwilling to put the past in the past. Those memories continue to override your new person and will always be looked upon first, before your successful career.

3, It's hard to be proud of someone small.

The people who cannot look up at you are looking down at themselves. Because you grew up small in the same neighborhood, they associate you with them...as the small person! The little community with not much to talk about is where you came from. You have moved on, while they have remained. Out of pure jealousy for not achieving big things themselves, they drop you right back down to their level with the mentality that those who start small, stay small.

They cannot accept the fact that you are making more money than they can dream of. Instead of being proud of your accomplishments, they reflect upon their own and realize that their choices have not aligned with yours. But in defense, they reverse that realization into you being the one that does not align with them. It is to protect them from believing they have made a mistake. To them, you have alienated yourself from the standards of the community.

While it is frustrating trying your hardest to gain support from your old friends, the truth is that they really don't care! It is not your fault for choosing a life of wealth and success. You are now a thriving professional and you have colleagues, clients and new friends in your industry who understand you and who can relate to you on your level.

Those who cannot accept you don't matter! Don't allow them to hold you back and make you feel unwelcome. Remember that they don't want to know you as the person you truly are, so why should you waste your brilliant mind trying to maintain relationships with them? Separate yourself from them and become surrounded with people who love you for you!

You will be sure to find joy and relief around your new circle.