“He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.” John 4:4-5

The Longcut

When my older kids were little they spent a lot of time one summer up at their grandparents’ house while their dad and I worked. It was about a 45-minute drive away. One time for a change of scenery my husband decided to go a different way. When they got home I asked my son how the ride was and with a look of pure disgust on his face he said, “Dad took a longcut.” I remember laughing and saying, “So a longcut is the opposite of a shortcut?” and with another look, I got a very emphatic, “Yes!”

I wonder if that was how the disciples felt? There was a straight route between Judea and Galilee (along the Jordan River), and yet Jesus said He needed to go through Samaria—definitely a longcut, not only in terms of miles out of the way, but culturally. The Jews and the Samaritans didn’t associate with each other, and the distance they traveled seems even longer when, as we see in John 4:7, 18, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman of questionable reputation, which is a double no-no.

This longcut, however, results in many people believing in Jesus in the Samaritan capital city of Sychar (John 4:39-42).

Has your heavenly Father ever taken you on a longcut—somewhere out of your way and perhaps your comfort zone? If so, what was your response? Were you disgusted like my son was, who probably didn’t notice the beautiful scenery he traveled through and was perhaps not the best company on the journey? Or, did you decide to make it an adventure, look at things with fresh eyes, and perhaps even talk to someone you never would had the opportunity to otherwise?

 “Lord, thank You for the longcut Jesus needed to take through Samaria—it  showed us a beautiful story of Your love for all of us no matter where we come from, who we are, or what we may have done. Help us to enjoy the journey and share Your love on the longcuts You choose to take us through. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”