Where are you?

What a long and beautiful Gospel today, John 4:5-42. Jesus has a wonderfully recounted dialogue with the Samaritan women.

We hear all the details, all the bits that lead us to understand the nature of her place in society.

An Samaritan

A woman

An outcast

The beauty I find in this text is that as uncomfortably as she fits in society, she feels almost instantly accepted by Jesus. There's a playfulness in the conversation that speaks of comfort and acceptance.

For us at Everyman Theology, that's the strength of this text.

Meet people where they are at.

We are not the ones to change hearts, we lead people to God for Him to change them.

The discussion takes place at the well, the place to draw water. In the church water becomes our route to Christ. The cleansing waters of Baptism washing over us:

leading us,

guiding us,

cleansing us.

Just as the Samaritan women doesn't come to Jesus, but He goes to her, so must we go out to others.

Where are you?

Where are you located

Where are you spiritually

Where are you in your life

We are called to go out to others and meet them where they are at!

As a worker:

If you have ever felt the 'imposter syndrome' think how many others may have felt it.

Have compassion in your conversations. Understanding in your interactions.

Recognise that we know people as colleagues, we don't know their lives

As a parent:

Our children are their own people. They are not mini versions of us.

Support them in their journey.

Let them grow into who God meant them to be.

Love them just as they are

As a partner:

Recognise that as a couple, you Re both unique.

What you feel , is not what your spouse feels

What you want, is not what your spouse wants.

Your dreams are not always the same as theirs

Evangelisation comes through gentle, invitational love. See each person this week as the women at the well.

Welcome them

Love them

Understand them.

This way, we will bring them to Christ