Where is your Samaria?
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." -Acts 1:8
Ah, there it is. A verse that we have heard a thousand times in our lives. Surely, I'm about to be writing a post on missions, right?
Not exactly. While missions is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart, it's not going to be my focus in this post. In fact, I'm going to camp out on three words: "Witnesses in...Samaria." Now, that may not seem like a big focus point with you, so bear with me while I paint you this pictures.
Back in Jesus' day, Samaritans were essentially second class citizens in comparison to the high class Jews. Picture America back in the days of segregation and you've got a pretty decent idea. Jews would go completely out of their way to bypass Samaria on a journey, simply to avoid getting the same dust on their feet that had touched a Samaritan. And talking to a Samaritan? Forget it. That's basically social suicide (Yes, that's a Mean Girl's reference). This is the reason that Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) was such an absurd thing in the mind of the Jews.
However, the Samaritans were important to Jesus. They are precious in His sight. He desires for them to be His children and call upon His name. That is why in this verse, He makes specific mention of Samaria. Jesus wants for His people to go love on the Samaritans.
...Really, Jesus? You want me to go there? You want me to be your witness to THEM? I can just picture the Jews He speaks to cringing just a little bit at the mere mention of Samaria. "Well, hopefully John's calling will be to Samaria, and I'll get to stay right here in Jerusalem. Or I'll go to Judea. Heck, I would go to the ends of the earth if it means avoiding Samaria."
See here's the thing: I think that Jesus has a very specific Samaria that He is calling each and every one of us to in this day and age. Now hold on here, because I know that some of you are thinking, "Now, wait. Samaria is a very specific geographic location. Jesus just meant being a witness to our neighbors." But I think that it's so much more than that. Samaria was specifically mentioned, even though it was a place that the Jews despised, filled with people that they despised.
I firmly believe that each of us has a Samaria. Maybe not to the point of people we despise, but you get where I'm going here. That person, those people, whoever it is that you just have an especially hard time with. Those people you find it hard to love-even more, maybe the people you think you don't have to love.
In thinking over writing this post, I had a clear Samaria come to my mind for me. My Samaria is the judgmental and legalistic people of the church. I'm a full believer in showing Christ's love to people, and ironically enough, I have a hard time loving the people who don't demonstrate love to the world.
Now God is a funny guy, because He has recently placed me smack dab in the middle of my Samaria. He has put some people in my life that I find hard to be His witness to. However, I am praying that He will give me the grace and the desire to do just that.
So I'm going to leave you with these two questions: Who or where is your Samaria? How are you going to be a witness to them?
Ah, there it is. A verse that we have heard a thousand times in our lives. Surely, I'm about to be writing a post on missions, right?
Not exactly. While missions is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart, it's not going to be my focus in this post. In fact, I'm going to camp out on three words: "Witnesses in...Samaria." Now, that may not seem like a big focus point with you, so bear with me while I paint you this pictures.
Back in Jesus' day, Samaritans were essentially second class citizens in comparison to the high class Jews. Picture America back in the days of segregation and you've got a pretty decent idea. Jews would go completely out of their way to bypass Samaria on a journey, simply to avoid getting the same dust on their feet that had touched a Samaritan. And talking to a Samaritan? Forget it. That's basically social suicide (Yes, that's a Mean Girl's reference). This is the reason that Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) was such an absurd thing in the mind of the Jews.
However, the Samaritans were important to Jesus. They are precious in His sight. He desires for them to be His children and call upon His name. That is why in this verse, He makes specific mention of Samaria. Jesus wants for His people to go love on the Samaritans.
...Really, Jesus? You want me to go there? You want me to be your witness to THEM? I can just picture the Jews He speaks to cringing just a little bit at the mere mention of Samaria. "Well, hopefully John's calling will be to Samaria, and I'll get to stay right here in Jerusalem. Or I'll go to Judea. Heck, I would go to the ends of the earth if it means avoiding Samaria."
See here's the thing: I think that Jesus has a very specific Samaria that He is calling each and every one of us to in this day and age. Now hold on here, because I know that some of you are thinking, "Now, wait. Samaria is a very specific geographic location. Jesus just meant being a witness to our neighbors." But I think that it's so much more than that. Samaria was specifically mentioned, even though it was a place that the Jews despised, filled with people that they despised.
I firmly believe that each of us has a Samaria. Maybe not to the point of people we despise, but you get where I'm going here. That person, those people, whoever it is that you just have an especially hard time with. Those people you find it hard to love-even more, maybe the people you think you don't have to love.
In thinking over writing this post, I had a clear Samaria come to my mind for me. My Samaria is the judgmental and legalistic people of the church. I'm a full believer in showing Christ's love to people, and ironically enough, I have a hard time loving the people who don't demonstrate love to the world.
Now God is a funny guy, because He has recently placed me smack dab in the middle of my Samaria. He has put some people in my life that I find hard to be His witness to. However, I am praying that He will give me the grace and the desire to do just that.
So I'm going to leave you with these two questions: Who or where is your Samaria? How are you going to be a witness to them?
Comments
Post a Comment