ACTS OF KINDNESS

In the above picture is Jesus sitting on the well waiting for this adulterous, sinful woman.  It's one of my favorite stories in the Bible.  Why?  Because Jesus went out of His way just to minister to this one woman, that everyone else shunned.  How do I know that?  Because the woman is coming to draw water at noon, the hottest part of the day.  She didn't come in the early morning hours with the other women, because she was an outcast, a loner, one who didn't fit in, because of her sins and her life style.  But Jesus cared for her so much he told the disciples I have to go to Samaria.  Jesus was a Jew and the Jews wanted no part of the Samaritans.  However, that didn't stop Jesus.  He loved this woman and wanted to let her know there is a better way.  In fact, He is the way, the truth, and the life.

He shocked her by speaking to her first of all and asking for a drink of water.  That was out of the ordinary, but Jesus wasn't ordinary.  He came to do the work of His Father and He only had a short time to do it in.  The same is true today.  Time is running out and we need to be about the Father's business, the business of winning souls.

Have you ever needed a friend or just a kind word?  Have you ever felt so alone, that you would turn the TV on just to hear human voices?  Have you ever wished someone would just call you on the phone and ask how you were doing?  There are many, many people out there who are lonely and need someone to care for them.  They need someone to show them love.   If we are like Jesus, we will show love and compassion to others.

That's what Jesus did to the Samaritan woman.  It didn't matter that others shunned her.  He went out of His way to talk to her.  It didn't matter that the women would not have anything to do with her and the men used her as an object to satisfy their own lust.  Jesus truly cared about her.  It didn't matter that His own people would not talk to her because she was a Samaritan.  Jesus talked to her.  She was so shocked by His display of love that it melted her heart.  How could she not love a man like that!  Jesus had compassion on her.  She fell so in love with Jesus that she ran back to her village to tell everyone about the Savior, the Son of God, who had come to her town just to show her He loved her!

That's the Jesus I know.  He will go out of His way to show His love to you and me.  Just a few days ago I casually mentioned to my husband I wish someone would give us some tomatoes.  Our tomatoes didn't make this year and I was craving some delicious, red ripe, home grown tomatoes.  One wouldn't do, I wanted several.  A few minutes later as I started to leave there was a basket full of red ripe tomatoes sitting there on my back porch steps.  I smiled, picked them up, and rushed to the bedroom to show them to my husband.  I said, God answered my wish for tomatoes.  He just proved to me once more how much He loves me.

Our daughter had surgery a few weeks ago and she was just overwhelmed by the many acts of kindness from her friends.  Several sent flowers, brought food, sent her cards, called to check on her and on and on.  She was grateful for the acts of kindness shown her during this difficult time.  It meant so much.

Ephesians 4:32 says, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."