Today’s scripture reading is John 4:1-26.
But he had to go through Samaria. -John 4:4 NRSV
Years ago, a church member said something awful about me. It was far worse than “your sermons are boring” or “I wish you knew your Bible as well as you know Seinfeld references or Ole Miss football.” Not only was the comment hurtful, it was untrue.
I didn’t actually hear the comment but several other people did and told me about it later. When I approached the individual, he denied it and got angry at me for asking about it. He never returned to our church after that conversation.
Some time later, I was eating lunch at a buffet-style restaurant. As I was walking to my seat, I saw him. I had a decision to make: I could travel the shortest distance between the buffet and my seat and pass right by him or I could take the long way around and avoid him. I chose the former.
As I walked by, our eyes met and I said hello. He replied and then asked if I had a minute. I sat down and to my amazement, he apologized. And I forgave.
Sin had eaten away at both of us: him for saying what he said and me for harboring resentment. The conversation was awkward but holy; it was also life-giving.
In today’s passage, John tells us that Jesus HAD to go through Samaria. This was unusual because most Jewish people avoided the shorter route through Samaria when traveling from Jerusalem to Galilee, believing the Samaritans to be sinful and impure. But Jesus chose to go through Samaria, where he had an unlikely but necessary encounter. Beaten down by sin, a woman by a well had a conversation with Jesus that was awkward but holy…and also life-giving.
Is God saying that there’s something you need or “have” to do? If so, may God grant you the grace to do it today.
