Geoffrey Chaucer, the English poet, author, and civil servant, wrote how familiarity breeds contempt in the Tale of Melibee, one of The Canterbury Tales published in 1386. However, the Greek fabulist and storyteller, Aesop (620 – 564 BC), who has been credited with a number of fables, was first known to express this proverb in his fable, The Fox and the Lion.

A very young Fox, who had never before seen a Lion, happened to meet one in the forest. A single look was enough to send the Fox off at top speed for the nearest hiding place. The second time the Fox saw the Lion he stopped behind a tree to look at him a moment before slinking away. But the third time, the Fox went boldly up to the Lion and, without turning a hair, said, “Hello, there, old top.”
Familiarity breeds contempt.

The perfect example in the Bible of this is in Mark 6 when Jesus entered his hometown of Nazareth. Everyone in Nazareth knew Jesus—he had grown up there. His family still lived there. The population of Nazareth when Jesus walked the earth is estimated to be anywhere between 400 to 2,000 people. Small towns are notorious for everyone knowing everyone—and knowing their business, too.

Jesus began to teach in the synagogue in Nazareth, and suddenly all who were listening to him began to say, “What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Their familiarity of Jesus, who they all knew to be just the carpenter’s kid, blinded them to who he really was and what he was teaching. Familiarity can range from taking things for granted to finding fault to complete rejection and offense. This was the case in Nazareth. Because they thought they ‘knew’ him, they had no respect for his message. Therefore, they themselves limited Jesus in what he could do.

Ask yourself today: where in my spiritual life does familiarity breed contempt? Where in my spiritual life does familiarity make me fail to reverence Jesus and his message? Where in my spiritual life does familiarity with something cause me to fail to see what is really true? Where in my spiritual life do I read the familiar Word of Truth and not apply it to my life? And where in my spiritual life am I not listening to what the Holy Spirit is telling me?

To progress in the Spiritual Journey, we must leave what has been longstanding and familiar, turn an ear towards heaven so we can attain higher spiritual ground.