Volume 1 , Issue 2 Page 5
Ethnocentrism
“ A tendency to view alien groups or cultures from the perspectives of one ’ s own , the belief in the inherent superiority of one ’ s own ethnic group or culture .” ( dictionary . com )
A few thousand years ago Jesus was just starting out in His ministry . Back in His day , there was a group of people known as the Samaritan ’ s . These were a sort of ethnic half Jewish person , and although they worshipped the same God that the “ true ” Hebrew people did the Samaritans were despised , if not hated by the Hebrews . In John Ch . 4 we see Jesus going through Samaria . Historically , Jews would go to greater lengths to bypass Samaria because of a mutual disgust between the Jews and the Samaritans . But , being God Himself Jesus had a plan , and was on a mission . He met a woman at Jacobs well . She was a Samaritan woman , and one of ill-repute at that . In both a flash of humanity & a simultaneous blast of deity omniscience , “ There came a woman of Samaria to draw water : Jesus said to her , “ Give me to drink .” ( John 4:7 NASB ) And it wasn ’ t like He really couldn ’ t get water Himself . But he used this conversation , which started out in the physical realm to lead this woman , a troubled woman , to a spiritual conversation that would prove , among other things that Jesus was the Messiah . “ Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him , “ How is it that You , being a Jew , ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman ?” ( For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans .) Jesus answered and said to her , “ If you knew the gift of God , and who it is who says to you , ‘ Give Me a drink ,’ you would have asked Him , and He would have given you living water .” She said to Him , “ Sir , You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep ; where then do You get that living water ? You are not greater than our father Jacob , are You , who gave us the well , and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle ?” Jesus answered and said to her , “ Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again ; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life .” ( John 4:9-14 NASB ) This Samaritan woman in her discussions with Jesus brought up several excuses , mostly about the supremacy of Jacob . This was a historical heritage , a lineage of intrinsic supremacy . It was Ethnocentrism . Why are you talking to me , you ’ re a Jew ? Why should I talk to that person , their a ( fill in the blank .) But Jesus smashed through these boundaries , starting off with a physical conversation with a stranger who was in need , and in showing loving kindness this woman came to know Christ . People are dying of thirst . Perhaps physically , but more importantly spiritually . Let us make haste to never allow any ethnocentric ideals from preventing us from having a spiritual conversation with someone who is thirsty .
Joshua Miles Tuscumbia , Alabama joshuarmiles1976 @ gmail . com