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Have prejudices, generalizations, and double standards hurt you?

4 min read

Scripture reading: John 4:1-39. Text: “The Samaritan woman said to Him (Jesus), ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ For the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” John 4:9.

The story presented in our Scripture reading is long and complicated. May we find divine guidance for our daily life through this unusual event.

THE BACKGROUND, THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH.

In the background we find the age-old division, dispute, and mutual disdain between the Jews and the Samaritans. The two ethnic groups had never been able to get along with each other. After a long journey, obviously on foot, the Lord and His disciples were tired, hungry, and thirsty. While the disciples went to the city to buy food (8th verse) a Samaritan woman came to draw water from Jacob’s well. Jesus asked this Samaritan woman for a drink. This request started an interesting dialogue. The Samaritan woman was surprised that a Jew had asked a favor from her, was even more astonished when this unknown person had offered the “living water” which satisfies thirst once for all (14th verse), and was shocked when He could tell how many husbands she had before (16-18 verses). The woman, leaving her water jar behind, rushed back to the city to tell the people about this man who could be Christ (28th-29th verses).

THE UNIQUE, TYPICAL, AND PRACTICAL (APPLICABLE) ELEMENTS OF THIS STORY.

What is UNIQUE? We cannot meet our Lord in person any more and hear directly from Him: “‘but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him(her) will never thirst.'” 14th verse. We must depend on the written record, namely the Bible, and also on the testimony of those who have fellowship spiritually with the resurrected Savior.

What is TYPICAL? The misunderstanding is always there, as expressed by the Samaritan woman “. . . ‘Sir, give me this water (see the water mentioned in the 14th verse above), that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.'” 15th verse.

Our usual uncertainty and even skepticism are embodied by the Samaritan woman’s announcement in the city: “‘Come, see a man, who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?'” 29th verse.

What is PRACTICAL? When Jesus broke the barrier between the Jews and the Samaritans when He was willing to communicate with this Samaritan woman (see again the 9th verse), our Savior touched on three sensitive points:

1. PREJUDICE. Prejudice means “pre-judgment;” that is before anything is experienced, proven, observed, and known, the “verdict” is reached (which is usually unfavorable). Prejudice can not only isolate and immobilize a person or a group but it can also choke and suffocate. Today ethnic hatred can run so deeply that it may end in violence and tragedy. How many painful remarks, destructive criticisms, and unjust convictions were precipitated by malicious prejudice?

2. GENERALIZATION. A few unhappy experiences or disappointing events with the same kind of people may turn into a general evaluation; THEY ARE NO GOOD! What a child or a young person constantly hears as “facts,” (for instance the older generation’s negative comments or public opinion), will be accepted as a final conclusion that these people are bad and we should get rid of them.

Here we have a twofold challenge: first we should not accept opinions handed down from generation to generation or just follow the crowd, but we should give an individual a chance to act on his/her own and judge him/her on his/her own merit. On the other hand we should be careful also that whenever we are seen or heard, we represent not only ourselves but also that group (ethnic, culture, religion, or professional) to which we belong.

3. DOUBLE STANDARD. Consider how quickly we are willing to condemn others using the highest moral standards and how easy we can find excuses and mitigating circumstances when we are found to be mistaken or wrong. When we are expected to live up to the highest expectation it hurts and we consider it unfair, however, to be understanding and forgiving toward ourselves is normal. Are not Jesus’ words still true today: “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” Matthew 7:2.

Do not we also need the “living water” offered by Christ?

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