love like jesus

A few days ago, I was listening to a sermon by pastor Steven Furtick, where he talked about the relationship between Samaria and "some area". Sometimes, we just have to go through Samaria (some area - pain, grief, struggle, etc.) to get to where we're going.

In John 4, Jesus was passing through Samaria when he entered the town of Sychar, where Jacob's well was. Jesus was tired (side note - even Jesus got tired sometimes!) He stopped and sat at the well to rest. Soon after, a Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well. This woman showed up at the hottest part of the day, while most would come early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the heat. So, why was she here in the middle of the day?

This woman had a reputation. She came at the sixth hour to avoid people, because people talk and everyone knew she had 5 previous husbands, and the man she was currently living with was not her husband at all. Still, she needed water; but she did not expect to receive the living water she got that day. Jesus could have taken a shorter route - but he knew he had to go through "some area" to meet this woman in a divine appointment at the well.

Jesus asked the woman for a drink. She was so taken back; who was this man, a Jew, asking her for a drink? Jews were not known to associate with Samaritans. Jesus reveals himself to her as living water, then as a prophet by sharing what he knew about her 5 husbands and her current relationship. She told him she knew of Christ and that he would explain everything she needed to know when he comes.

What this woman was about to learn was that she was standing face to face, conversing at the well with Christ in the flesh. Jesus made his pass through Samaria because he knew this woman needed grace and freedom from a life of sin. She traveled to this well at the sixth hour, during the highest heat to avoid the ridicule of people - yet, here she stood at the well with the high priest himself.

Friends - we all go through things. We all trip, stumble, and fall; yet, Jesus never turns his back on us, never fails to love us, never leaves us nor forsakes us. We are never too far gone to reach back and grasp the love of Jesus.

Furthermore, Jesus chose to associate with the people in which the world had turned away from. What higher example of love is there? As his people, shouldn't we love each as ourselves, despite their shortfalls?
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This world is a scary place these days, friends. Love can change the world. Be that woman that chooses love over hate. The one who loves like Jesus.