In John chapter 4 Jesus meets a woman who was, in the eyes of his predominant culture, unworthy of his time, attention or love.
If you’re a white progressive today – or even just a white person opposed to Trump – it’s possible, even likely, that a Trump supporter is not seen as worthy of your time among those you run with.
If you’re a person of color in this moment, your predominant culture is pressuring you to believe and say certain things about certain people too – and to consider some folks unworthy of your time and consideration because of their past, their connections to injustice, their statements or the color of their skin.
If you’re an ardent Trump supporter, your predominant culture is telling you there’s a lot of folks – liberals, the media, antifa, Never Trumpers – who are unworthy of your time or love. I even heard one guy say today that all looters should be shot upon entrance into a store. So clearly the looters are unworthy of that guy’s love and deserve only death.
Yet here’s Jesus, openly in the midday light, spending time with this outcast woman. Don’t twist the reality – the conversation isn’t all smiles and giggles. It’s a tough one. He says some things to her that she probably needed to hear, but weren’t easy. Yet she came away amazed and couldn’t wait to tell others who she’d met. A man who should have hated and ignored her, or even intentionally degraded her, but instead spoke to her in love, and it changed her life.
Who do I consider unworthy of my time and presence? Why do I have those biases? What will I do about them?
Jesus, help me see those who are outcast from my predominant community as you see them – and treat them as you would treat them, resulting in radical life change, for me and for them.
Amen.
Pastor Joel
Joel Searby
