NOTHING IN COMMON?

Jesus, help me talk to all the kids I meet, not just the ones I have the most in common with! Amen.

Jesus met a Samaritan woman getting water from a well. "Give me a drink," Jesus asked. The woman said, "You're Jewish -- your people don't like mine. Why ask me for a drink?" Jesus answered, "I could give you living water." Then He told the woman all about her life, so she believed in Him. She told friends, who followed Jesus, too.

It's easy to see why kids at school who are in Cub Scouts or do martial arts hang out together: They see each other often and have something in common.

On the other hand, you might decide some kids wouldn't want to be friends just because they play soccer and you don't, or because you're in the top reading group and they're not. You assume you have nothing in common and even that they don't like you. It can even be hard for you to talk to them.

That's exactly what happened in this week's Gospel (John 4:5-42). All Jesus did was ask a woman He met for a drink of water, and she got uncomfortable. She assumed that Jesus wouldn't really want to talk to her because her people and the Jews haven't liked each other in the past.

Jesus points out that it's kind of silly to judge every person who's Jewish as being the same. How would she know He wouldn't like her? Besides, He just asked for some water!

If you think about it, you might realize it's just as silly to assume every kid who plays soccer won't like you if you don't, or that you have to only hang around with kids in your reading group.

Jesus talked to everybody. That way, He didn't miss out on meeting any cool people -- whatever their hobbies were. In fact, when the woman at the well got to know Him, she wanted to spend all her time following Him. She even invited friends!

(02/21/08)