Life Spark: Notice people who are looking for more life. John 4:35-42
I went to Alaska to bow hunt for moose and caribou. The pilot of a float plane pilot dropped us off at a mountain lake. Four of us chased moose in the high country for three days, then we took off on rafts down the Kobuk River. We drifted thirty miles, hoping to intercept caribou as they migrated out of the Brooks Range and crossed the Kobuk River. No caribou. They migrated two weeks later than usual.
People migrate too. We move away from where we are if we become convinced we can get to a place that is safer and better. We move toward greater quality of life. We’re not caribou, but we do care.
Prodded by the woman who met Jesus at the well in Sychar, motivated by curiosity and thirst for life, the Samaritan villagers “… came out of the town and made their way toward him.” (John 4:30, NIV)
I am surprised that the Lord’s disciples, licensed distributors of God-aliveness, were blind to a city full of life-seekers. Jesus challenged them: open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. (John 4:35-36, NIV) Could it be that today, just like back then, the big problem isn’t lack of ripeness but lack of perception and compassion?If no one shares real life with a person who is ripe for aliveness, what happens? Barring harvest, the next thing after ripe is rot.
So what happened with these seekers of life? They migrated toward a better life and met the Life-Savior. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42, NIV)
When it comes to sharing God’s love in an authentic, organic way, John 4 is the Mt. Everest of examples. Note this if you’re open to following His example: They came to Jesus after Jesus came to them. He “had to go through Samaria” because the Spirit of Life in Him sensed some life-seekers. Point is, God didn’t tell the world to go to church, He told the church to go to the world. “Go and share my love and my life. They won’t care what you know until they know that you care.” The first two letters in gospel are ‘go.’ Are you going? Are you caring? Are you looking?
Life-question: Think of one reason you would migrate toward Jesus.