House Against House

Why was he talking to me?

Now he was repeating the question. "Could you give me a drink of water?" He motioned towards the well beside him.

I studied this strange Jew for a moment. I was a woman. He was a man. And if that didn't count against me, add the fact that I am a Samaritan into this mix. Then throw in my five ex-husbands and the man I was living with now. No Jew would ever just start talking to me. No one talks to me. That's why I am out here now, away from all the scornful looks and the malicious gossip. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I especially didn't want to talk to this Jew. It just wasn't done. Samaritans and Jews do not do anything together.

"Why are you asking me for a drink of water? You are a Jewish man. I am a Samaritan woman." Sometimes you just need to state the obvious for the logic impaired.

He smiled like he knew something he was waiting for everyone else to figure out. "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink," you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."

And with that statement, a line in the sand was dusted away forever.

Based on John 4:1-10.

That statement was one of the most profound, denomination-crossing statements ever. The Jews and the Samaritans had some differences of opinion. Because of that, they didn't socialize with one another. It is a good picture of how the different denominations treat each other today.

"The woman said to him, 'Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know, we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4: 19-24

We are going to have differences of opinion, and that's okay. However, it's not acceptable when the church treats each other scorn and contempt because we have a difference of opinion. I'd be willing to bet my right leg that we will all get to Heaven, and find out we were wrong about something we fought other believers tooth and nail about.

"And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." Mark 3:25

Our different views are meant to strengthen us a believers, not tear us asunder. So we can see all the different facets, and amazing truths of God's Word.

Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman was profound in many ways. But when He started talking to her, it was to send a message. He didn't care about the feud between them; He cared about making sure this woman knew the Living Water.

How about we all love God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit? How about we all worship Him in spirit and truth. How about we be true worshipers, true believers? How about we love our neighbors? Let's stop focusing on who is with who, and our arguments. Let's focus on Jesus, our Living Water, and sharing Him with everyone we know. Let's be a united house for God.