Are you a planner or a “fly by the seat of your pants-er”? Ok, so that last word isn’t really a word. Are you a planner or a spur of the moment person? Everyone who knows me will quickly tell you, I am a planner. Some might say that I am an over-planner if there is such a thing. There is nothing wrong with either option, it is simply a matter of how you are wired as a person. Sometimes, being a planner makes me too rigid. As I have said and even written here before, if you want to fluster me, change my plans. However, sometimes being a spur of the moment person causes you to miss some important details. Therefore, the best option is to be somewhere in the middle of the two.
One thing that I love about Jesus is that everything He did was intentional. He didn’t waste time, but He also didn’t do something just for the sake of doing it. We see this in John 4, in what would be a mind-blowing event for the disciples. John 4:3-4 says, “He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.” You and I see those region names, and we don’t really get it. We don’t really understand the significance of the fact that the text says Jesus had to go through Samaria. Hopefully a little context will help. Judea was south of Galilee. The most straightforward route between the two regions was directly through Samaria. However, the Jews and Samaritans despised each other. Therefore, if a Jewish person was traveling to Galilee from Judea, they would circle eastward and go through the area of Decapolis, and then swing back into Galilee. Why did the Jews and Samaritans not like each other you ask? It dates back to Old Testament times. God had told the Jewish people not to marry outside of the Jewish race, because the non-Jewish people would pull the Jewish people’s heart away from God. They would influence them with their false gods. By the way, they didn’t listen and God was proven right. Samaritans are actually Jewish people; however, they aren’t counted as 100% Jewish because centuries before this event, they married outside of the Jewish faith. Remember, Jesus was a Jewish rabbi. His disciples were Jewish. They would have grown up indoctrinated with the belief that they were superior to Samaritans. Can you imagine what must have been going through their mind when their Teacher went directly into Samaria? I imagine it like when Mufasa took Simba up on Pride Rock and showed him all his “kingdom.” Simba saw some places that were in shadows and asked about those, and Mufasa quickly told him that he must never go there. Sorry for the Lion King reference, that may only make sense to a small portion of you. Why did Jesus “have” to go to Samaria? It wasn’t because it was the shortest, most-direct route, even though it was. It was because Jesus wanted to show His disciples that the Gospel wasn’t just for the Jews. The Gospel was for everyone, even Samaritans.
One thing that has been dominating the headlines for months now is racism. I know things have been worse in this country, but that was before my lifetime. Therefore, I can honestly say that this is as bad as I have ever seen it. Whether it is racism, sexism, or whatever -ism, it really is prejudice, or what the Bible would call favoritism. It is a belief that you are better than someone else for some superficial reason. While we may not want to admit this, most, if not all of us have displayed some form of favoritism at some point in our life. As much as we would like to think this isn’t the case, we don’t always treat everyone the same. This is something that is as old as time, it is part of the sin nature we all inherited from Adam after the fall in Genesis 3. It doesn’t make it right, we certainly cannot tolerate it, but we also can’t act like it doesn’t exist, or as though only other people have this problem. When we “judge a book by its cover” we are guilty of favoritism. When we have two different reactions to the same treatment because one person who did it is a friend, and the other isn’t, that is favoritism. Maybe you are wondering, what then is the answer?
The answer is simple. The answer is Jesus and the redemption offered through His blood. Nothing less than this is going to rid the world of racism, sexism, and all of the other -isms in the world. All forms of favoritism is the fruit of a poisonous tree. That poisonous tree is our own personal sin nature. It is because we have a diseased heart, and only a new heart will cure the disease. No amount of “medicines” like trying harder, learning from each other, or re-education programs will fix this. It may put a temporary band aid on it, but it will not cure it. Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ applied to our life, and the Holy Spirit transforming our heart, mind, and mouth will fix this.
But this really isn’t what I wanted to write about with respect to what we see Jesus doing, though it may be the more important of the messages in this post. My original intent was to talk about the intentionality that Jesus shows in pursuing those who are far from God. He could have sent someone else. He could have bought into the beliefs of His day and avoided Samaria. But the love of God and His mission compelled Him to go where no other Jewish person would. Isn’t it amazing at the love that Jesus shows someone considered an outcast? By the way, this Samaritan woman wasn’t what people would consider a “good” person. She was on man number five. Yet, Jesus’ love for sinners and His mission of seeking to save the lost, sent Him to Samaria to this particular woman. So, the next time that you feel like you have gone too far or done too much for God to love you, I want you to remember this Samaritan woman. Other people may overlook you or write you off, but the sovereign God will not. To my brothers and sisters in Christ, are we this intentional? Do we see beyond the exterior, the superficial to the true need of a person regardless of who they are or what sins they may be committing? By the way, let’s not forget what sinful ditch Jesus found us in. Are we willing to go where others aren’t to reach those that Jesus desires to save? If we are truly saved, we will have that desire. Where is God sending you? It doesn’t have to be around the world, though it might be. It could be across the street to that neighbor that is difficult. It could be across the city to a place where the people living there don’t look like you. The point isn’t where will God send you, the point is will you in loving surrender say as Isaiah said, “Here am I, Lord, send me”?
By His grace and for His glory,
Pastor Justin