“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days.” (John 4:39-40)

When the Samaritan woman had an encounter with Jesus, she went and told about Jesus to her whole town and brought them to Him. And when they came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them. And He stayed with them for two days.

For two days Samaria had the Living, Miracle working God in their midst. They had an opportunity that not many other people had.

When Embracing Turns Into Rejection

Later on, there came a point in the life of Jesus where He had to go to Jerusalem because the time had come for Jesus to lay His life down on the cross. And, He was flint focused towards fulfilling the purpose of His life.  The Bible says His face was set towards Jerusalem.

But in order for Jesus to reach Jerusalem He had to pass through Samaria. So, Jesus sent His disciples ahead of Him to a village of Samaria to make preparations for Him.

But this time the same Samaritans who once refused to let Jesus go, now refused to receive Him because His face was set for Jerusalem.

“Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,  and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51-53)

The first time the Samaritans encountered Jesus, they saw Him performing miracles and meeting their needs. But this time, they realized He was simply passing through. His destination, Jerusalem, was itself a point of deep contention as they considered Jerusalem not a place of worship. This stirred up their bitterness even more.

Please God or Man?

Child of God, when you make a decision to walk in your call and accomplish the purpose of God on your life, not many will accept or receive you. If they rejected Jesus who gave them the Living Word and did miracles among them, they will do it to you too.

Yet you need to live a life not to please man, but to please God. When you are facing situations or people in your family who do not accept your walk with God, don’t go to fight them. Instead you keep growing! That’s your key!

People will disappoint you, so it is better to serve God’s purpose in your generation. Keep upgrading yourself everyday because everything around you is upgrading itself. Keep growing in your identity and the right people will come chasing you. Your bosses will come chasing after you. Favour will come chasing after you.

When you keep growing the very people who are fighting you today will see your light shine bright and come to you.

XOXO

Author Kim D’souza