When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (John 4:7)
Drinking after a stranger? The thought gives me the creeps. Jesus is on a mission to redeem this woman's life. He is already aware of her long string of failed marriages and her live-in boyfriend. Yet he approaches her with graciousness and tact. His being a Jewish rabbi would naturally make her feel inferior, so he asks her for a favor. (And I'm sure he was really thirsty!) He intentionally assigns her dignity by acknowledging that he needs her help, too, just a she needs his.
As I attempt to build relationships out of which to influence people, even very messy people, I will follow Jesus' example and show that I realize they have something to offer. I will seek to discover what that is, and in making them feel valuable, open a door to share what I have to offer.
Jesus, give me more of your magnetic touch with broken people. Help me to remember that I can gain something of value from everyone I meet. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment