The Shock Doesn't Stop

S - “Now at that very moment his disciples came back. They were shocked because he was speaking with a woman. However, no one said, “What do you want?” or “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Surely he can’t be the Messiah, can he?” So they left the town and began coming to him. … Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the report of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they began asking him to stay with them. He stayed there two days, and because of his word many more believed. They said to the woman, “No longer do we believe because of your words, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this one really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:27-30, 39-42 NET)

O - The shock of Jesus chatting with an unaccompanied woman and a Samaritan at that would get "worse". There would be the following shock of such a socially disqualified person being told directly by Jesus his full identity and her being the one who would inspire an entire village to interact with him. The shockwave would continue with this culturally outcast people group believing and asking the Savior of the world to stay with them. And the final jolt would be him actually staying with them for two days and not trying to "convert" any of them to Judaism. "But a time is coming – and now is here – when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23, 24 NET)

A - This recorded shock of the disciples will find all who will follow Jesus. It will not be a singular experience. Jesus thinks very differently about earth than we were taught to think. If we stop being shocked in this way we really need to assess if we're still following. Personally, my first shock was the same shock of the woman; the shock of meeting Jesus and experiencing him and his unconditional love. The shock of my real condition and his real desire to call me to himself; the shock of no condemnation and no moral tirades even though my moral standing was tragic. In this story I am the woman, the disciples and the villagers who believe because they are personally interacting with the Savior of the world. Today, all these years later, I am still being shocked by Jesus.

P - Savior of the world,

Thank you for continuing to shock me and all who follow; for wanting us and loving us and for refusing to change your mind. I want your shocking person, spirit and love to come into me and to come out of me. I embrace the only purpose you give to all … to love you back and to love all others as I want to be loved. I welcome ongoing transformation in my entire being unto the life that is really life. Jesus, I do love you back!

Steve