Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

It looks like it has been ages since he’s had a shower. He holds out a grimy hand as he asks for spare change. You pull your child in closer and move a little faster just to get by, praying that the “Walk” sign is lit so you can keep going.

That is the reaction so many of us have when we see a homeless person on the street. One of the reasons it is so difficult for us to minister to others is because of fear. Fear of the unknown, of the different. Those who are homeless, those who have been abused live in a different world from us. How can we hope to communicate with them?

Let’s Visit the Well

Jesus often ran into people from “the other side.” Perhaps one of the most famous stories in the Bible, the woman at the well is also one of the best examples of how to relate to someone who is different from you.

She was a Samaritan woman, a woman that had been married several times. She was currently living with someone that she wasn’t married to. In today’s society, that wouldn’t seem like such a big deal, but in Jesus’ time it was appalling. She would have been an outcast from society. But instead of moving away, Jesus took the opportunity to talk to her. His conversation with her provides a wonderful example of how we too can relate to those that are different from us.

1. Jesus didn’t care about what others thought. How often do we worry what our friends will think if they see us talking to someone? It’s not just a problem that kids and teens have; adults also worry about impressions. Jesus was willing to disregard the rules of society to meet the need of someone that was lost and wounded.
2. Jesus spoke on her level. He didn’t try to sound lofty or more religious than the woman. He spoke about water, a subject easily understood by anyone. He didn’t spout theology or make an obvious attempt to convert her to some religious sect. He talked to her about her needs, the need to go get water and satisfy thirst. Can we too drop our religious lingo in favor of speaking to people in a language they understand?
3. Jesus was true to Himself. Jesus wasn’t afraid to confront the woman about her sin, but He did it in love. He first established a relationship with her by talking to her and then he brought up her lifestyle. But he didn’t do it in a condemning way. Instead, he simply stated a fact. How often do we stand ready to judge others, to convict them? Rather than making her run away, Jesus caused her to want to go and tell everyone Who she had found. He drew her to Him like He often did to the poor and the outcast.

Are we willing to get out of our comfort zones and take the time to get to know people on their level? Are we willing to show love rather than indifference or condemnation? It is only by changing our attitudes that we can serve God where He leads us.