FAITH CAPSULE: Engage the uncommon route to evangelize the world.

John 4

It is written about Jesus, “He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar…” (John 4:3-5) His destination was Galilee not Samaria because Samaria to the Jew was a no-go area by virtue of the hatred the Jews had for them. Despite the truth that going through Samaria was the shortest route then, the Jews always avoids Samaria. Jesus did not avoid the short route. The short route represents the uncommon route where very few go through. Jesus took the uncommon route, a route that bitterness and rivalry prevails. Bitterness and rivalry did not deny Jesus from fulfilling one of His divine assignments on earth. It is not important how many of our assignments were executed but how many were not executed because of worldly ideas. Jesus ignored the bitterness and enmity between the Jews and the people of Samaria when He passed through Samaria.
As a believer, we often avoid passing through the way of the world that need to hear more of the word of God to serve our own convenience. Jesus repeatedly proved how wrong the roles that believers world play to deny salvation. When He came to Samaria, He ministered to a woman who had never heard the gospel message. Jesus stated, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14) Having ministered to the Samaritan woman, He told her about her past relationships with husbands. To the Samaritan woman, her encounter with Jesus was evidence that Jesus was a prophet. After she listened to all that Jesus had told her, “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.” (John 4:28-29) The Samaritan woman left what she carried with her and went on to carry out a great evangelism. Jesus reached her when He ignored convenience; He shelved pride (the root of Bitterness and rivalry) and mission was accomplished. The Samaritan woman went on evangelism, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word.” (John 4:39-41) Just like Jesus, engage the uncommon route to evangelize the world.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace that will enable you to live a fulfilled life to the glory of God.