Welcome to God’s Word to You
God’s Word to You today is found in John 4:27-30
27 Just then His disciples returned and were surprised to find Him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
We heard a pastor this morning using the first part of this story to help us understand that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect but rather imperfect that His glory is shown. It is a good lesson to know since we often lose sight of grace when we seek to achieve redemption on our own.
But the message also hit me on a subject we face today. Racism.
In our country we are facing a huge battle of racism that frankly I haven’t seen as bad since I stood for civil rights in the 70’s. Race relations in the USA are seemingly as bad or worse than before civil rights were given.
And I often think of Dr Kings messages and his intentions. He was very much for equal rights. He wanted all blacks to have the same rights as all whites. A very noble and needed change that came about after his death.
But yet today we still face the same problems. Racism. And one troubling thought is what we face today whether we like it or not has been around since time. We see in these passages that there was a problem between Jews and Samaritans. Very similar to blacks and whites in our country.
And the problem is as old and humanity and beyond race. It is really one group doesn’t like another group because they are different. And therein lies the problem and not the solution.
See, the problem is we are all different in some way. So when one group tries to take the term racism and think it belongs to them exclusively that in itself can be considered racism. Why? Because hate is the fuel and power of racism.
Whites get tired of being accused of racism at every turn and blacks see racism every time it seems something negative is aimed at them. Gays feel the same about Christians. Christians feel the same about Muslims. And it goes on and on. And it has gone on and on since before Christ.
And that is my point today. What did Jesus do when faced with a woman from another culture that the Jewish culture called unfit to associate with?
He ministered and witnessed to and offered salvation to her.
He loved her. He knew the sin in her life, He told her who He is and He loved her enough to save her. Even when His disciples may have wanted to challenge what He was doing.
And He is the answer to racism and prejudice.
His love never fails. His love never ends. His love heals.
And if we who are black, white, straight, Christian or otherwise will stop pointing to ourselves, stop throwing the stone first, stop hating, then and only then will the war on racism start to be won.
Getting our way in a battle doesn’t mean we win the war. Often I feel like the pointing fingers attitude is more about the person letting us know how smart and right they are rather than them seeking a solution.
And yet the solution is right in front of us. The solution, if we are saved, lives in us. The one who is right isn’t us, it is Him.
So today being the first day of the week let me challenge you to do this. Show someone loves works today. Someone outside you comfort zone. Someone you may even have a challenge loving.
Why? Because;
me n’ God love ya
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I’d love to know how God is working in your lives and get to know you. Please feel encouraged to send any comments and thoughts.
Email me at Chuck.Acts420@gmail.com
in His service,
Chuck
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