John 4:27
In the culture of Jesus’ day, if you were a Jew, you did not talk to a Samaritan. You also, if you were a man, did not talk in public to a woman. The Jews and Samaritans were “rivals.” They hated each other. Can you imagine taking a family vacation to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where you avoided traveling through Ohio because you are a Michigan fan? I know people who are that crazy; believe it or not, I am not one of them. It would take so much longer to travel “around” Ohio to get to Tennessee than simply traveling through it. For a Jew, it was actually common to travel around Samaria.
So, Jesus has just had an encounter with a woman from Samaria. He initiated the conversation. He initiated concern. He initiated compassion. While he was explaining the truth to her about her eternal destiny, his disciples were at Kroger doing the shopping…if you know what I mean. When they returned, they were shocked to see such a “culturally inappropriate conversation” going on with this woman. What I love about Jesus is that he NEVER CARED about other people’s perceptions of him. In fact, he often “went against the grain” to make a dramatic point. He would seek out “sinners” (in those days that term described prostitutes, tax collectors, etc.) to eat with him so that he could share the Gospel with them.
The disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman is a sad picture of what the American church has often become. We seek out certain people and reject others who don’t look or act like us. We decide a person’s value based on his bank account, outward appearance, or gregarious personality. Jesus was the opposite of such superficialities. In fact, he often pursued the prototypical “down and outer.” What about you? Do you struggle with prejudice?
As a young boy, I remember getting invited over to a new church friend’s house to spend the night. We had just started to attend a new church, and I was in need of some friends. My new friends played in the same baseball Little League that I played in so it was a good fit. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that these brothers saw things differently than I had been taught. They saw me as their new friend in the “in crowd” since I was “like” them in their own words. Over time, I learned that they thought that they were better than certain kids, and they often treated these kids poorly. I can honestly tell you that I was extremely bothered by this behavior. After that day, I would “hold them at a distance” when it came to our friendship. Why? Because I knew in my heart how important it was to treat everyone with love and respect. My parents did a great job teaching me that truth as a kid.
Now, back to the story… Jesus would quickly teach his disciples the error of their thinking. He wanted them to realize that all people matter to God and must be treated as such. Can you imagine the disciple’s shock when they saw all of the Gentiles that this woman brought back with her to hear Jesus’ teaching about the Gospel? They got a quick lesson in the fact that compassion knows no boundaries.
I think it’s time in the American church that we throw prejudice in the trash can! If God in the flesh knows no favoritism, neither should we. Here are a few questions to consider in making sure that your heart is in the right place when it comes to loving all people killing prejudice:
You never know who you might impact for the Kingdom of God if you would simply “tear down your walls of prejudice!” The Gospel is BIGGER than any one person, people-group, or slanted opinion.
So, Jesus has just had an encounter with a woman from Samaria. He initiated the conversation. He initiated concern. He initiated compassion. While he was explaining the truth to her about her eternal destiny, his disciples were at Kroger doing the shopping…if you know what I mean. When they returned, they were shocked to see such a “culturally inappropriate conversation” going on with this woman. What I love about Jesus is that he NEVER CARED about other people’s perceptions of him. In fact, he often “went against the grain” to make a dramatic point. He would seek out “sinners” (in those days that term described prostitutes, tax collectors, etc.) to eat with him so that he could share the Gospel with them.
The disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman is a sad picture of what the American church has often become. We seek out certain people and reject others who don’t look or act like us. We decide a person’s value based on his bank account, outward appearance, or gregarious personality. Jesus was the opposite of such superficialities. In fact, he often pursued the prototypical “down and outer.” What about you? Do you struggle with prejudice?
As a young boy, I remember getting invited over to a new church friend’s house to spend the night. We had just started to attend a new church, and I was in need of some friends. My new friends played in the same baseball Little League that I played in so it was a good fit. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that these brothers saw things differently than I had been taught. They saw me as their new friend in the “in crowd” since I was “like” them in their own words. Over time, I learned that they thought that they were better than certain kids, and they often treated these kids poorly. I can honestly tell you that I was extremely bothered by this behavior. After that day, I would “hold them at a distance” when it came to our friendship. Why? Because I knew in my heart how important it was to treat everyone with love and respect. My parents did a great job teaching me that truth as a kid.
Now, back to the story… Jesus would quickly teach his disciples the error of their thinking. He wanted them to realize that all people matter to God and must be treated as such. Can you imagine the disciple’s shock when they saw all of the Gentiles that this woman brought back with her to hear Jesus’ teaching about the Gospel? They got a quick lesson in the fact that compassion knows no boundaries.
I think it’s time in the American church that we throw prejudice in the trash can! If God in the flesh knows no favoritism, neither should we. Here are a few questions to consider in making sure that your heart is in the right place when it comes to loving all people killing prejudice:
- Do I think I am better than someone else based on my background, education, environment, or abilities?
- When was the last time that I pursued a relationship with someone who was “different” than me?
- Can I think of a person or people-group that I would not want to share the Gospel with…my personal prejudice?
You never know who you might impact for the Kingdom of God if you would simply “tear down your walls of prejudice!” The Gospel is BIGGER than any one person, people-group, or slanted opinion.
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