Jesus always obeyed the Father and the rules of the Word, but he seemed to take pleasure in violating human rules that were not of God. When it was time to travel to Galilee, Jesus routed his group through Samaria. Most Jews traveled along the Jordan Valley so they would not have to move through the area inhabited by those they disdained. Jesus broke the rule and ministered where no one else would go.
And then he did something that shocked the disciples. They had made a supply run into town and when they came back they were horrified to see Jesus conversing with a Samaritan woman. Not just a Samaritan. Not just a woman. But a Samaritan woman. Jesus was bound by the Father's laws but he was not bound by silly rules that would hinder his ministry.
And look what happened as a result. The woman put her faith in Christ and went to turn out the entire village. They came out (John 4:39-42) to see what this woman with the bad reputation was saying, but they came to believe in Jesus on their own.
“We no longer believe because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.”
Because Jesus broke the rules of prejudice and hate, because he engaged those whom the Jews disdained, because he cared about those few others did, an entire village came to faith.
The gospel is not just for people we like or people who are like us. It is for the lonely, the outcasts, for those whom life has chewed up and spit out; for the people no one else wants to engage. We cannot treat others as untouchables, but must reach out as Jesus did.
Father, help me to see those others ignore, to love those that are hard to love and to engage those others would see as undesirable, for the glory of your kingdom.
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