2006-11-28 - The Field

John 4:35 - Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

This is a verse that I often hear used to encourage people to witness for the Lord or to go out "soul-winning". Indeed it is about our need to share the gospel with our community. But there's something else there just lying under the surface - amessage about the field that lies within the context of the passage around it. This was pointed out to me as I read a book the other day. Just where was Jesus when he said this? Go ahead; read the chapter and discover where Jesus was.

John 4:4-5 places Jesus in the city of Sychar in Samaria. He was telling the disciples, "Behold, the fields are white for harvest in Samaria." You see the disciples did not understand why he would talk to a Samaritan. Being good Jews, they thought Jesus was their Messiah not the Samaritan's Messiah. They were a bit near-sighted and suddenly Jesus grabbed a telescope and showed them a world of wheat just waiting to be harvested.

I find myself driving past trailer parks and big fancy gated communities. I think like the disciples that Jesus is the Savior of my kind of people. There are times when I act as if Jesus just came to save middle-class, suburban Americans.

What about you? Who do you include in your vision to reach?

God forgive me for seeing grains of wheat and not the field. Give me your vision; fill me with your love for the world. Help me to remember always that you died for the whole world not just people like me. Stretch me out of my comfort zone and help me to reach out to your creation be they rich or poor, black or white. Amen

IHFHBOH
Adam

adam@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All scripture references from KJV unless otherwise noted