I will humble myself, take up my cross, and follow Jesus.

I'm disappointed because I didn't get a chance to blog on a verse yesterday, so I am going to do this this morning.

First, I will have you know that yesterday was a grand day. Classes were great, David and I went to Fry's and I returned some not so good stuff and got some great stuff, work was great, I picked off a conversion in my football game (which was a fun game though we lost), I got to know the guys on my team a bit better (which is great), volleyball practice was great, and the movie that David and I watched was great! (Leon the Professional-I highly recommend it) The day was relatively simple, but I enjoyed it very much.

Today is going to be a good day, I believe. Though I have a lot of work to get done, today is a pretty free day for me, so I am hoping that I will be able to do a lot of work. Clay expressed interest in going to the beach today, so perhaps that will be something we will do. I'll probably take my homework along, as I am not too fond of the beach. Except building sand castles, that's always fun.

I want to talk about John 4. This chapter is about Jesus and the woman at the well. Jesus is able to share the good news with this woman, which may not seem like a super big deal, but actually it was. You see, this woman was a Samaritan, and it was against the culture for Jews, which Jesus was, to even speak to Samaritans. The Jews simply didn't like the Samaritans, and thus Jesus even talking with one, let alone trying to save one, is a really big deal.

Jesus shares about the water of life, and through prophesying about many things in her life, she gathers many more Samaritans around, who are all saved!

All because Jesus went out of His way and spoke to someone He was suppose to not like.

I think the fact that the Jews didn't find it respectable to even converse with Samaritans was mainly out of pride. This definitely speaks to my life, because, as I blogged earlier, there are many people that I look down on, and really consider it a waste of time to even talk to them.

This is exactly how the prideful Jews were. This is exactly the opposite of what Christ did.

I think there is something wrong with this picture.

Why am I striving to be like the prideful Jews when I need to be striving to be more like Christ? I need to lay down my differences with said people, because in all actuality, there is no difference whatsoever. They are sinners. I am a sinner. They are saved by grace. I am saved by grace. Therefore, I am no better than them at all, and I need to stop thinking and acting this way, because it is rubbish. I need to act as Jesus did, for He realized that a person is a person, and every person is in need of saving. So, He cast aside all of His differences, humbled Himself, and was a friend to the Samaritan, ultimately allowing for her to be saved.

I need to act like this, not like the hypocritical Pharisees.

The great thing about Jesus, is that if anyone had the right to not talk to someone, He did. Because He was perfect. But He did something that not even we imperfect Christians do, and that is He humbled Himself and befriended one different than He.

If there is any instance of perfect humility, this is it. And it is something I need more of. But with God's help, I will be able to let go of my pride and embrace humility. This is what Jesus did, and I am to strive to be like Him, so I am going to strive to be humble.

Praise the Lord!