By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
John 4:9, 27 "The 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.)… 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?”
Jesus picked a conversation with a Samaritan woman as He preached to her. But a deeply seated attitude between the two peoples, Jews and Samaritans pops up. They had nothing to do with other. The woman brought it out in no uncertain terms. Another cultural hitch comes in as observed by the surprised disciples: Jesus is talking with a woman, moreover a Samaritan? But Jesus intended to break a culture and tradition that had held many captive for long.
We all belong to families, societies and communities which have certain traditions and beliefs about other people from certain families, clans, tribes or races. What we are told biases our minds against them. These affects our attitudes and relationships with them. Some are carried forward to matters of the gospel. Jesus in the quoted scenario deliberately broke such man made traditions that created barriers between people.
In Christ, such attitudes based on ethnicity, cultures, gender and others don’t hold. We are one under our Creator. These differences are fueled by the enemy so as to propagate divisions in which he thrives to fight God’s purposes for humanity. Let our cultural and traditional view of others be influenced by what God’s word teaches. He is God of diversity. All people are His.
Galatians 3:26-28 "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Mark 7:8-9 "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!"
Shalom children of God.