“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:8
We read this Scripture and it is glibly touted as our marching orders as Christians. Looking deeper raises a few questions. In fact, I have no doubt that as the disciples listened, the thought raced through their minds, “What is Jesus thinking?” After all He had used the detested “S” word. Samaria. Those are the corruptors of the Jewish faith. Throughout history, Jews so ostracized that they would take the long way around in order to avoid going through Samaria on their way from south to north or north to south in their country.
The rest of the scripture verse was hard for the Jews. It wasn’t until Peter’s vision, Paul’s calling, and the persecution in Jerusalem that the disciples really began to reach out beyond the comfortable confines of their home. But it was that “S” word on which they were really stuck. According to the Scripture only Philip catches that vision and goes down to Samaria.
Our history is one of people always wanting to find some other group on which they can look down. Some other group that is not as good and, therefore, we are better. Such was the way of the Jews in their depiction of the Samaritans. And it hasn’t changed.
As a young boy growing up in rural Wyoming and Colorado “those” people lived on the other side of the tracks. As a college student in a college town surrounded by agriculture “those” people were the migrant workers. Living most of my adult life in the city it’s easier to become blind to “those” people because they aren’t as visible in “my” neighborhood, but they are there. Who are “those” people in the city? It could be the homeless. It could be the new immigrant who talks funny. And yes, even though the United States has just elected our first African-American President, race often defines “those” people.
When Jesus used the “S” word on that last day with the disciples He made it clear that all welcome in His Kingdom, and we are called to reach out to every single person.
Who are “those” people in your community? Will you be the Jew who will walk out of your way to avoid them or will you answer the call to witness to, yes, even the “S” people?
