Looking for the best in each other...

Last week, while going through my Made to Crave Bible study, I was asked "Who is your Samaritan woman?"  I didn't have to think about it too long. In fact in the five times I've gone through the study, this question has not been a difficult one for me to answer.

The Bible says that the Samaritans were a racially mixed society with Jewish and pagan ancestry. Lysa TerKeurst refers to them as half-breeds.  John 4:17 also reveals to us that this woman has been married five times and the man she is currently living with is not her husband.

When you dig into the Samaritan woman's story we also learn that she is meeting Jesus at the well in heat of the day.  Because of her lowly status and sinful life style she chooses (or is forced) to draw water in the noonday sun to in order to avoid a tongue lashing from her fellow townspeople. So we conclude, that for whatever reason, this woman is someone who is difficult to spend time with.

For me, I think of the Samaritan woman as someone who instead of filling your love tank, drains it completely dry.  Someone who, instead of making you feel good about yourself, makes you doubt yourself. Someone who zaps all your energy after spending time with them. Someone who oozes negativity and gloom and whose life is one drama after another.  You get the picture.

The next question in our study was "Keeping in mind what you know about this person's life, try looking at him or her through a lens of compassion. What do you see? For example, what hurts or hardships might this person have?" Sometime a shift in our perspective is exactly what we need to make a shift in our hearts.

In John 4:35 Jesus tells his disciples to open their eyes to the fields that are ripe for harvest.  These Samaritan women in our lives, they are the fields ripe for harvest.  If we opened our eyes so that we could really "see" them we would probably see someone who is a little lost.  Someone desperately seeking friendship or spiritual growth or that light that shines in you.

The last question in our study regarding the Samaritan woman in our lives was "What one act of kindness might you do for this person this week?". So this person has been in the back of my mind all week.  And as often as I keep shoving this person to the back of mind they keep nudging their way into the forefront.  I keep struggling to come up with ways to be kind and encouraging while keeping my distance.

Then this morning I stumbled across this bit of wisdom in 1 Thessalonians 5 (I love the way the Message says it):

...Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!

Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part.

Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on.

Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, 

pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to 

individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's

nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, 

and always do your best to bring it out.

Look for the best in each other...and always do your best to bring it out. What can you do this week to bring out the best in your Samaritan woman?