The Samaritan Woman
I recently read the passage about the Samaritan woman. You can read it in John chapter 4. I am amazed at how God's love changed this woman.
I am sure she could make a list of wrongs done to her and by her. First, discrimination. She was a Samaritan. Second, gender. She was a woman. Female. Third, divorced. Not once. Not twice. Not even three or four. Five marriages gone bad. And now... she is sleeping with someone who is not her husband.
Even today, many people would shun her. Her history. Surely, she was not only ashamed, but scorned. I envision her as a little dragged looking, low cut dress. Today, tight jeans, worn shirt, cigarette smell.
In Max Lucado's words "not someone you would put in charge of the Bible Study class".
And yet, Jesus, ... in all his love, considered her worthy of his love. Worthy of his time. Worthy of his forgiveness. Worthy of his love.
There are so many times I don't feel worthy either. I can list my wrongs... and my mistakes. I can give so many reasons why God should dismiss me and label me. But, His grace and mercy cause me to walk a little farther, seek a little more, and pray a little harder.
In his book A Love Worth Living, Max says this:
"Others love you because of you, because your dimples dip when you smile or your rhetoric charms when you flirt. Some people love you because of you. Not God. He loves you because he is he. He loves you because he decides to. Self-generated, uncaused, and spontaneous, his constant-level love depends on his choice to give it."
I am sure she could make a list of wrongs done to her and by her. First, discrimination. She was a Samaritan. Second, gender. She was a woman. Female. Third, divorced. Not once. Not twice. Not even three or four. Five marriages gone bad. And now... she is sleeping with someone who is not her husband.
Even today, many people would shun her. Her history. Surely, she was not only ashamed, but scorned. I envision her as a little dragged looking, low cut dress. Today, tight jeans, worn shirt, cigarette smell.
In Max Lucado's words "not someone you would put in charge of the Bible Study class".
And yet, Jesus, ... in all his love, considered her worthy of his love. Worthy of his time. Worthy of his forgiveness. Worthy of his love.
There are so many times I don't feel worthy either. I can list my wrongs... and my mistakes. I can give so many reasons why God should dismiss me and label me. But, His grace and mercy cause me to walk a little farther, seek a little more, and pray a little harder.
In his book A Love Worth Living, Max says this:
"Others love you because of you, because your dimples dip when you smile or your rhetoric charms when you flirt. Some people love you because of you. Not God. He loves you because he is he. He loves you because he decides to. Self-generated, uncaused, and spontaneous, his constant-level love depends on his choice to give it."
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