DAY 4 — DON'T LET RELIGION BECOME THE BARRIER
DAY 4 — DON'T LET RELIGION BECOME THE BARRIER
Read: John 4:19–24
Once things become personal, the woman changes the subject.
She starts talking theology.
Where should people worship?
Which tradition is right?
Whose mountain?
Whose temple?
It's fascinating how quickly we can move from talking about our hearts to talking about religion.
We still do it.
Church styles.
Denominations.
Worship preferences.
Politics.
Translations.
Traditions.
Who's right.
Who's wrong.
Some of these conversations matter.
But they can also become convenient barriers that keep us from dealing with the deeper question:
Do I actually know Jesus?
Jesus redirects the conversation.
He tells her that true worshipers will worship the Father “in the Spirit and in truth.”
In other words, God isn't primarily looking for people who have mastered religious arguments.
He's looking for people who belong to Him.
We should care about truth.
But we should never become so obsessed with winning arguments that we forget we're trying to reach people.
There are people around us who may have assumptions about Christianity.
Maybe they've been hurt by a church.
Maybe they disagree with something Christians believe.
Maybe their experience with religion has created a barrier.
Our job isn't to bulldoze through those barriers.
It's to introduce them to Jesus.
Jesus wasn't afraid of this woman's questions.
And we don't have to be either.
Sometimes the best response isn't an argument.
It's listening.
It's kindness.
It's asking another question.
It's saying, “Come and see.”
Consider
Have I ever allowed religious differences to keep me from genuinely loving someone?
Do people experience the character of Jesus when they interact with me?
Today
Have a conversation where your goal isn't to correct, convince, or respond.
Listen.
Ask a question.
Learn someone's story.
Trust Jesus enough to believe that you don't have to win every conversation for Him to work through it.
Read: John 4:19–24
Once things become personal, the woman changes the subject.
She starts talking theology.
Where should people worship?
Which tradition is right?
Whose mountain?
Whose temple?
It's fascinating how quickly we can move from talking about our hearts to talking about religion.
We still do it.
Church styles.
Denominations.
Worship preferences.
Politics.
Translations.
Traditions.
Who's right.
Who's wrong.
Some of these conversations matter.
But they can also become convenient barriers that keep us from dealing with the deeper question:
Do I actually know Jesus?
Jesus redirects the conversation.
He tells her that true worshipers will worship the Father “in the Spirit and in truth.”
In other words, God isn't primarily looking for people who have mastered religious arguments.
He's looking for people who belong to Him.
We should care about truth.
But we should never become so obsessed with winning arguments that we forget we're trying to reach people.
There are people around us who may have assumptions about Christianity.
Maybe they've been hurt by a church.
Maybe they disagree with something Christians believe.
Maybe their experience with religion has created a barrier.
Our job isn't to bulldoze through those barriers.
It's to introduce them to Jesus.
Jesus wasn't afraid of this woman's questions.
And we don't have to be either.
Sometimes the best response isn't an argument.
It's listening.
It's kindness.
It's asking another question.
It's saying, “Come and see.”
Consider
Have I ever allowed religious differences to keep me from genuinely loving someone?
Do people experience the character of Jesus when they interact with me?
Today
Have a conversation where your goal isn't to correct, convince, or respond.
Listen.
Ask a question.
Learn someone's story.
Trust Jesus enough to believe that you don't have to win every conversation for Him to work through it.
Posted in Daily Devotional