Discrimination

Friday, May 29

Discrimination        

Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritan. John 4:9

There is much spoken and written these days about the apparent evils of prejudice against people with certain backgrounds or lifestyles. Some discriminate against or judge people based on the color of their skin or their ethnicity before they even know them. The word prejudice has two parts: pre (in advance) and judicium (judgment). Therefore, prejudice is to prejudge or discriminate a person or a matter before getting any of the facts. Nowhere is prejudice more prevalent than in matters of race and ethnicity.

Prejudice is not a modern sin; it existed in Jesus’ day. He was not accepted as the King, in Matthew 13:55 we read “Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.” Even the Jews in Galilee and Judea were prejudiced against the Samaritans because they (the Samaritans) had intermarried with Assyrians.

Today we are called to follow the footsteps of our Savior. On a journey from Judea to Galilee, Jesus went through Samaria where He encountered a woman to whom He revealed Himself as the Messiah, the Source of living water (John 4). Jesus saw humans in need of God’s love, not races or genders or status. When Jesus was on earth he showed us how it is possible to indiscriminately love our fellow human beings. Ask God today to help us do this well and wisely.

Prayer for today: Dear Lord, help me to see the world as Jesus did. As souls needing Gods love. Amen.