ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
March 22, 2022
Jesus traversed many boundaries and borders, on both the geographic map and sociological map. In John 4, Jesus travels through Samaria. In his interaction with a woman near a well, he traverses a pretty significant boundary when he requests the woman to draw some water from the well and give him a drink. Men rarely spoke to women in public. Her follow-up question makes clear his breach of etiquette. She asks, “Why do you, a Jewish man, ask for something to drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” Growing up, I was taught certain etiquette, and it often was reinforced with a religious rationale. So I find it interesting how certain etiquette is expected by the very people who follow a teacher who broke with traditional etiquette. Now Jesus would probably be in favor of “please” and “thank you” in most situations. In no way are Jesus’ etiquette faux pas seeking to be rude. I’m certain there were some who found things like his conversation with the woman to be rude, but Jesus had a much grander vision of etiquette. And I think love and the valuing of all people would be at the very top. So often people will say to new parents, “You’ll want to get your children into church,” thinking it will be a place where they will learn good etiquette. Sadly, if the church is teaching Jesus, parent’s might not be thrilled with the etiquette their children learn.
When love and the intrinsic value of every human being is being called into question by good etiquette, I pray that I will be ill-mannered for the sake of the Gospel. Help me to always show your love, O Lord, even when some might find it a social blunder. Amen.
