10. Four Types of Believers

John 4: 36, 39, and 48   And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
     And many of the Samaritans of the city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, he told me all that ever I did.
     Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

There are three types of believers highlighted in this chapter. The first set are believers who hear the message from a secondary, but authentic source--an eyewitness, or a creditable reference. The Sychar city dwellers heard the woman's testimony. Either their personal knowledge or their experience with her was enough to create faith in them to believe. Never underestimate the power of a personal testimony!

     The second group consisted of scientific believers. These needed to have primary experience; they needed hard evidence. They must see and hear Jesus for themselves. So when the Sychar woman gave them her testimony, they requested a personal interview with Jesus. That interview turned into a two-day revival service at the end of which they said to her: "Now we believe, not because of they saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

     The third type of believers is the superstitious kind who need a demonstration of signs and wonders. The nobleman represented this set. His son was practically dying, but Jesus' word was not good enough for him. He wanted the Lord to make a personal visit to his house. Jesus had performed the turning water into wine miracle in the area; still that was not enough. But Jesus would not yield to the nobleman's lack of faith. After the nobleman pleaded one more time, Jesus told him to go home--that his son was alive. He went home and found his son healed at the very time Jesus told him the previous day. Not only did the nobleman become a believer, but his entire household as a result.
    
     Are you one of these three types of  believers? To be sure, it depends on whom you are believing. Jesus told Phillip, his disciple, of a fourth type when he said, "Blessed are those who see not, but yet believe."  Do you have faith to take Jesus at his word? Or do you need hard evidence? Fortunately for us, Jesus is patient and loving and meets us at any point of our incredulity. But for your own sake, take a leap of faith today and whatever you are believing for, believe Jesus. He is the Way, The truth, and the Life.

Savior, I believe that  your word means what it says. It transcends time and space. You said ask anything and you will do it. I ask you today for: ____________________________________________________________________________. 

Thank you for being faithful to your word. Amen.

9. No Honor Among Your Own

John 4: 44  For Jesus himself testified that a prophet hath no honor in his own country.

It is a curious occurrence that the people who know us best often tend to fail to give us due honor. Perhaps we are too ordinary, too familiar, or even too successful or talented as in the case of Jesus. They refuse to give us the credit we earned or deserved.
   
     Matthew fills in the details for us. Jesus was too familiar: "Is not this the carpenter's son? We know his mother--Mary, and his siblings--James, Joses, Simon, and Judas. We also know all his sisters. They live right here in Nazareth. Where did he get all  this education from? Who does he think he is?" (Matthew 13: 54-57). Matthew concludes sadly that  "he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Consequently, Jesus removed himself from his haters and took his gifts to Galilee.
    
     Are you trying hard to prove yourself to people who should believe and trust you but refuse to accept you or your ministry? You may need to remove yourself from them and take your message to another audience. It is interesting how you never find Jesus forcing himself on anyone. He advised his disciples to shake the dust off their feet and move on when they came to a home that rejected them.

     Don't waste time. Don't get into unproductive arguments and fights. Move on, just as Jesus did. You might not be the one called to sow in that field. Your field may be elsewhere. Pray and be certain that you are where God planted you.

Lord, my people are not accepting of the message you gave me. Show me where to take it, where souls are awaiting the message of salvation, deliverance, and life everlasting. Amen.

8. Not Unlike Ghostwriting

John 4: 38  I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labor: other men labored and ye are entered into their labors.  

Not unlike ghostwriting, is what Jesus demonstrated with the Sychar woman and what he expects of us as we relate to people in our daily living. The ghostwriter writes a speech, an essay, a story for another person with the expectation of giving all the credit to that person, often in return for payment. Church circles often reflect a similar experience, in which persons may labor diligently for weeks, months, or even years only to find that somebody else gets the credit. It is especially painful if that person is new, and the laborer worked for gratis. 

      Occasionally, the benefactor of such service may express gratitude to the one who labored without getting the glory. There are even people who would say that they paid for the product, hence, like buying and wearing a wig, it became their personal property. It seems as if Jesus had a different view about ghosting. He separated the sower from the reaper, acknowledging that both are essential to God's kingdom. To him, the person who lays the foundation is just as valuable as the person who builds upon it. Someone sowed into the Sychar woman's life in order that the witness Jesus did of himself could have the positive effect it had.

     If you are a sower, keep on sowing. You may or may not live long enough to reap your harvest on earth. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the prophets of old did not live to see what they prophesied about Jesus. That did not discourage them. They prophesied anyway. If you are a reaper, keep on reaping. Don't get carried away with the credit because you may later discover that the kudos have to be shared with others. Stay humble, because the Emmy's are on the way, and will be a time of rejoicing that no one has yet witnessed. Your current anonymity will one day break forth into a well deserved "Well Done, thou good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Lord."

Father, keep my eyes focused on You. Let my undergirding  goal be to please just You. Let me not become weary in well doing, because I will reap in due season, if I do not faint. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.