Submitted by Pastor Donna Clark Fuller, Rock Port and Watson United Methodist Churches

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Jesus is having a conversation with a Samaritan woman by a well. He has been traveling from Jerusalem to Galilee and even though the shortest route was through Samaria, his disciples did not want him to go that way. Although they were all part of ancient Israel, there was a long history of hostility between Samaritans and Israelites from other areas. Many others would not have talked with any Samaritan, especially a woman. But Jesus was different. The woman asks him about one of the areas of conflict, that of where they should worship. Samaritans worshipped at Mt. Gerazim, while Israelites from other areas thought they should go to Jerusalem to worship.

In Jesus’ reply, we see what is really important in worship. The place is not important, but rather the attitude in worship. Do we invite the Holy Spirit into our space and into our hearts? Do we care about truth and are we seeking the truth that God can give us when we worship?

Jesus shows us that spirit and truth when he engages with all kinds of people. Jesus shows us that we are all children of God and deserving of respect when he is not afraid to enter conversations, sit down to a meal, or heal diseases regardless of social rank, ethnic identity, gender, or occupation, etc. He was criticized for the company he kept at times, eating with tax collectors and sinners. That last one would be all of us. So if we had been there, Jesus might have been criticized for talking to us.

So if we ever start thinking that what is important is where our church is, or what it looks like, or one of many other ways we can create conflict with others, we need to first ask ourselves, are we worshipping in spirit and truth?