Of Samaritans and Sunnis

       I am not sure how to say this next thing and make sense of it.  It speaks to  a cognitive dissonance and irrationality in our human behavior.  But here goes, I am not sure we can underestimate the loathing and feelings of superiority that most Jews felt for Samaritans. Take particular note that Samaritans were Jews themselves. It was God that gave these Samaritans, via Jacob, the very well at which Jesus and this woman meet.  How peculiar how we treat each other. The arrogance , feelings of superiority. The looking down upon people that we do. It is not unlike the irony of Shia and Sunni in Islam, both Muslim but the relations are strained at best.

         This passage just highlights once again Jesus and his rebellious, all inclusive nature. The Jews looked down heavily on Samaritans but yet Jesus has no problem speaking to this woman and further, spends several days in their community to boot.  Clearly, Jesus does not look down on these people. 

     I find it intriguing, what is the basis for so much of our own snootiness? The north looks down on the south. There are Canadians that look down on people from Newfoundland, calling them "Newfies" as perhaps their equivalent of rednecks.  I'd beg to differ just based on the play Come From Away.  I am sure there is a world of answers as to whom we all look down upon, religions, nations, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations.

      Is that what we have been taught?  Is this what religion teaches? Aren't the Scriptures witnessing to another lesson altogether?  If we cannot accept people based on the fact that they are children of God, can we at least try to educate ourselves into the differences but the more so the multitude of similarities we all have?  Do we all not love? Bleed? Are we not all called to God or some higher power and authority no matter what we call it? 

        Strike up a conversation with someone different, listen with an open hear not just hearing words with our ears. Spend time listening as Jesus did. 

        Know this, Jesus is still listening. 

John 4:27-42

 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or, ‘Why are you speaking with her?’ Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’ They left the city and were on their way to him.

 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’

 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word.They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.’