August 23

Today's Reading: John 4:1-54

The Samaritans were descended from the ten northern tribes of Israel who were not deported after the Assyrian conquest in 722BC. After the Babylonian exile they built a Temple on Mt. Gerazin. The Jews considered them to be "half-breeds" and by the time of Jesus they were held in low esteem. So when traveling, the Jews would travel all the way around Samaria rather than taking the shorter route through it.

So the fact that Jesus even chose to go through Samaria, alone talk to a Samaritan woman was completely counter cultural. But this woman and many others in that town became some of the first disciples of Jesus. This was a powerful demonstration that Jesus came to save all people who would trust in Him regardless of their race, religion, or even the extent of sin in their lives. Since most of us are not Jews, we should rejoice in the fact that Jesus made it possible for us to be saved!