DAILY DIFFERENCE DEVOTION 4/26/2010

GOING TO THE HATED

And he had to pass through Samaria. (John 4:4 ESV)

I hate traffic.  I despise it to the max, why because it usually causes me to be late in whatever destination I am headed.  In fact, if I am familiar with an area usually known for traffic, I will avoid it.  I love to take the Metro Transit to work because I don’t have to deal with traffic.  Even if the metro is late, that’s fine, because I don’t have to deal with rush hour traffic.  I am avoiding the thing which I hate.

In this text, John the Apostle is indicating to us a divine necessity of Jesus Christ heading to Samaria.  Now if you know anything about the Samaritans, they were hated among the Jews.  This mix breed of people the Jews heavily despised.  When traveling between Judea and Galilee, the Jews took a longer route to avoid going through the cities of Samaria.  This is supreme hatred if you ask me.

Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ needed to go through Samaria.  The Greek verb indicates that it was of a necessity, similar to that of Jesus Christ going to the cross (Mark 8:31).  Why? Why would Jesus Christ need to go to the place of a hated people?  There is a great importance for us to love those who are hated.  We should focus our attention living Jesus Christ before a hated people.  When we have issues or are offended?  We want the offender to come to us, but the scriptures tell us to go to them (Matthew 18:15). Our anger or our hatred says to avoid or go around them.  Jesus Christ goes to them as a necessity.

Ask yourself these questions: “Are you willing to love those and go to those you hate, or are you trying to go around and avoid that person?”  Christ Jesus didn’t avoid the hated (only got away to pray or when being thrown off a cliff), He went towards them.  Can you go to the child molester?  Can you go to the murder? Can you go to your brother whom you’re angry with?  Is it important to you that they know Jesus Christ or your anger?  Think on this scripture below.  God bless.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:8-10 KJV)