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Jesus had to go through Samaria. We do, too.

S
Jun 2, 2026 · 13:24

<p class="button-wrapper"><a class="button primary" href="https://bit.ly/Crux-Community"><span>JOIN FOR $8/YEAR</span></a></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CLl1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa582865b-dd0d-455c-8524-fd62dbc50835_612x411.jpeg" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset"><source type="image/webp" /><img alt="Businessman with head stuck in sand at the beach head buried in sand stock pictures, royalty-free photos &amp; images" class="sizing-normal" height="411" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CLl1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa582865b-dd0d-455c-8524-fd62dbc50835_612x411.jpeg" title="Businessman with head stuck in sand at the beach head buried in sand stock pictures, royalty-free photos &amp; images" width="612" /><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image" tabindex="0" type="button"><svg fill="none" height="20" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="1.5" viewBox="0 0 20 20" width="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image" tabindex="0" type="button"><svg class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2" fill="none" height="20" stroke="currentColor" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="pullquote"><p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not represent those of my employer, any affiliated organization, or any institution with which I am associated.</strong></em></p></div><p>In John 4, Jesus had been journeying with the disciples and after changing the water to wine and meeting Nicodemus, He tells the disciples that they have to go through Samaria. In the hearts and minds of the disciples, they definitely did not. In context, the Jewish people hated Samaritans and avoided them and their land at all costs. There was not just relational ethnic prejudice but institutionalized social, political and religious separation.</p><p>We too have places and people, topics and subjects that we are taught to bypass, disengage and avoid; and legal structures to keep and create new methods of enforcement so that the status quo remains in place.</p><p>This is not the way of Jesus.</p><div><hr /></div><div class="digest-post-embed"></div><blockquote><p><em><strong>A NOTE ABOUT MY WORK</strong>: I am leaving my full-time job with InterVarsity USA on June 30. My new work will be with<a href="https://bit.ly/Support-CBR-ArochaUSA"> AROCHA USA // Center for Beauty and Resistance</a>. If you <a href="https://bit.ly/Support-CBR-ArochaUSA">DONATE</a> you will be made a founding member here. Thanks for your prayers, support and generosity.</em></p><p class="button-wrapper"><a class="button primary" href="https://thecrux.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p></blockquote>
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