What is your Samaria?

And He must needs go through Samaria.John 4:4 KJV
 What is your Samaria?
Mike Herman

I was born in Tucson, Arizona.  Tucson is known for its beautiful desert landscapes and breath-taking sunsets, not its downtown skyline.  Tucson would never be mistaken for a big city. 

            
Now I live in Compton, California, a city often noted for its gang violence, high poverty rate, and gangsta rap.  Compton is 55% African-American and 45% Hispanic.  Moving into the community is not without issues or concerns.  Working in an African American church is not without issues.  However, God didn't command us to live a comfortable life but to follow His example.

            
People wonder how a white man ended up in Compton.  Sometimes it still amazes me.  Why in the world did God choose me, a white boy from cactus country, to go into the city to stand in the gap for Him?

In John chapter four, we find the story of Jesus traveling through Samaria.  I think this passage best summarizes the answer to the question of why God sent me here.  Verse four is simple but has an often overlooked, profound message.  Here we find that Jesus "had" to go through Samaria on His way to Galilee.  According to a map, this would seem to be the obvious route, as Samaria lies directly between Judea and Galilee.  However, Jesus' path had nothing to do with geography. 

If you study Samaria you'll find it was considered to be a place of outcasts, a home of mixed breeds, of the “impure.”  The Jews were known for their racial hatred toward the Samaritans. The conflict was so great that Jews walked around Samaria -- over 20 extra miles-- simply to avoid the place and the people.

So the path Jesus chose was intentional -- and against societal norms.  The call to reach out cross-culturally was strong that He "had" to go there, even when others chose not to.  As a result of His time there, we are told many came to faith in Christ.  Surely His mission would've been incomplete had He not spent time in Samaria.

In our society, we have many Samaria’s.  Compton is a Samaria.  The inner-city is a Samaria.  Sometimes a person can be a Samaria.  It is anything that we don’t feel comfortable dealing with, that we try to avoid at all cost. 

But our Lord would have us go through our Samaria, even if you're a white man from Tucson going to Compton.  He is more concerned with our character than He is our comfort.

What are your Samarias?  What does God want do deal with in your heart that you’ve been trying to avoid?  Go through Samaria.  You’ll find that Jesus is not only walking beside you, but He’s already been there waiting for you.

 Lord, Thank you for leading the way into places like Samaria.

Take me out of my comfort zone, I'll go where you want me to go, Amen.

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