scandalous Jesus

You know the story. Infact, you probably know it very well, but it struck me this morning as I read in John of Jesus' encounter with the woman with less than reputable character at the well.

This must be brief...because I'm leaving for work in a few moments, but I needed to process this, so here goes:

The story screams of the heart of God to restore the human heart to it intended wholeness. The cool part, is the lengths Jesus went to find the broken.

Jesus was withdrawing from Judea to Galilee after he and his disciples were getting a little too much press for baptizing in that region. Most Jews of his day (ie...the notable religious folk) traveled a broad U out of their way to miss the entire region of Samaria, for therein resided people of questionable background and impure lives. For you Detroiters...think taking 94 or 75 or something to miss the 8 mile area...hey, I've done it a hundred times going to work. Not Jesus, though. No, he scandalously marches straight into the hood.

Then he starts up a convo with a woman...alone. The passage says the disciples kinda walked in at the end of the exchange, and were surprised to find Jesus talking to a woman.  I can imagine the disciples thoughts, "Think of the implications? You...this woman, here, alone. Come 'on man, this woman gets around (5 husbands and counting)...and you are the leader of a religious movement, Jesus?! Someone could accuse you of ...you know...with this woman, and your credibility is shot. Your movement is dead. There is too much at stake."

There was indeed much at stake: the heart of a woman looking for love in all the wrong the places...and Jesus was willing go to all the "wrong places" to restore it. Scandalous.

Feeling there are places in your heart no God could possible want to go? Jesus will march right in and stir things up if you'll go there with him.

Or are you playing it safe walking the high road? Maybe pray that God will lead you into the questionable places to meet less than reputable people in your journey today.

I can say yes to both questions...there are places in my heart that only Jesus can tackle, and I definitely play it safe as a rule. I want to be scandalous in my love today, Jesus.

ejk