Good morning everyone,

John 4:27-28- Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"
One of the hardest, but greatest things that God brings about in our hearts is change. All of us have probably been in situations where the majority of the people around us thought like us. But then someone bring a totally different perspective that completely silences us to think again about what we previously believed. I believe Jesus does this all the time when we study His Word.

The disciples were caught up in their Jewish soceital beliefs about woman (especially a Samaritan woman) and their restricted rights, especially with a "Rabbi", who were not to talk much, if at all to other woman. But I don’t believe they thought deeply about how wrong they actually were towards their treatment of woman or Samaritans until they saw Jesus talking to her.

From my experience in counseling and now ministry, it is rare that people change how they have been "shaped" in their minds from the surroundings and "teaching" they grew up with. Many people cling to their idea of certain people, marriage, parenting, even their own idea of God even if it is destructive! The disciples knew in their hearts that it is wrong to mistreat woman and people of other races. Being suprised that Jesus is talking to the Samaritan woman, tells us everything we need to know of their prejudice. Yet because they don’t say anything in questioning Jesus, they silently agree, knowing that He is right! Is that our experience when we come to God and His Word? Are we ready to be silenced into changing what our backgrounds have taught us all our life if Christ convicts us to do so? (Romans 3 v19)

In His Love, Ld