Which "group" do you belong in?

John 4:7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

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I have friends that I have known for a long time. (You thought I was going to tell you how long, didn't you?) My friends are people I have something in common with. I have met other people who are acquaintances. These are people who have something in common with me but the only reason we are together is "that" thing we have in common.

Then I have met people that I have nothing in common with. The way they grew up is totally different than the way I grew up. I grew up without much and I have run into people who grew up wealthy. The way I grew up shapes how I view people and the judgments I make of them.

I may judge the rich harder than I judge the poor simply because of my upbringing. Because of my fears, mixed in with a little pre-judging, I made assumptions about people not having met them or actually getting to know them.

JESUS meets a Samaritan woman and the social and perhaps racial divide was very apparent. Jews did not mix with the Samaritans and men especially did not address a woman in the type of discussion JESUS had with her. HE met her right where she was in her walk with GOD.

She was amazed that HE would socialize in public the way HE did. She was blind because of her thoughts about Jews.

• When we are blind we judge other people.
• When we are blind we assume the worse about groups.
• When we are blind we talk about "them" versus looking at ourselves.
• When we are blind other people are the problem.
• When we are blind we think the situation with "that" group is helpless.

JESUS sees one of HIS humans. HE does not want to lose one. HE gets excited when we ask HIM the right question which is "Can YOU become LORD of my life?" JESUS knew the Samaritan woman was missing the point. She was looking at outward appearance and relating to HIM with old stereotypes.If she only knew that she was speaking to the Savior of the world, what would she have asked?

• Do you judge others?
• Do you think "your way" is always the right way?
• Do you believe the only way to "GOD is through JESUS?
• Do you think there are other ways?