John 4:39-42

John 4:39-42 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

John's account of Jesus' meeting with the despised Samaritan woman at the well speaks to us at several levels. We see God's mercy and grace at the core of the story with Jesus first conversing with this woman rejected by the Jews, then offering her living water while speaking into her life, and finally staying in her town for two days to offer himself to these hungry and thirsty people. His actions epitomize God's love for humankind: his eternal plan to send his Son as an offering for all; his inclusiveness in reaching out to whosever would believe in the Son and accept his sacrifice for sin. The Jews accompanying Christ and those hearing this tale would have been amazed by Jesus' actions. As Jewish believers, they would have avoided even setting foot in Samaria, let alone conversing with anyone or tarrying in a Samaritan city to share God's message of hope and freedom.

As we have pondered these events and their applications in our lives as Christians, perhaps you have looked inward to your own choices, the areas where you knowingly avoid the "untouchables" in your sphere of influence: the ways you walk around them to escape human contact or deeply personal interactions that might cost more than you want to give. As believers, we must ask ourselves how deep the cross has penetrated our everyday walking about lives. Are we willing to walk out of our way to a place we do not like or want to ignore that we might tarry for a while to share faith, hope, peace, and love? Are we too busy to listen or to minister to people in need when we might not appreciate who they are or what they represent to us? Are we willing to let the Holy Spirit speak to them through us to reap a harvest of souls for eternity? Or are we too repulsed by the hungry and needy, too angry at the hateful and rude to offer a cup of water or a piece of bread in Jesus' name?

We may think we have valid reasons to bypass our Samaritan village. In the natural we may have good cause for our depression, isolation, and resentments toward certain people. But Jesus came for those who needed him, not those who had it all together, not the acceptable ones who did not want or need a physician for their hurting souls. When Jesus emptied himself and allowed the Spirit to lead him to the Samaritan village for two days, He made room in his life for a divine encounter: an opportunity for the Spirit to bring light and life to the lost sheep outside the fold through the Good Shepherd who would give his life for them.

As Christians, we must evaluate our motivations, the desires of our hearts, the reasons we do what we do. Are we so self-absorbed and involved with our agendas (our needs, our wants, our hurts and sorrows) that we fail to seek first God's kingdom by offering love, forgiveness, and resurrection life to everyone? We need to refocus our spiritual energy and our vision on Samaria by removing ourselves from center stage as the master of our universe and humbling ourselves as servants of the Lord, willingly to follow where He leads. The flesh is just flesh. When we serve our human inclinations, we do some good deeds as well as some bad things, but we never fully commit as living sacrifices acceptable to God and ready to serve. As Jesus manifested God's loving kindness and tender mercy to all, so should we. Let us journey to Samaria to those sitting in darkness, sharing the light with renewed passion and joy because we want everyone to know that this man (Jesus) really is the Savior of the world.