I was reading in John 3 and 4 last night, and something struck me.
First, in John 3, we have Nicodemus. The religious man of the religious people. He was as humanly "perfect" that you could get in that society. He was the one everyone looked up to. Yet - when he asked Jesus how to get to heaven, Jesus' answer shocked him. Jesus' message to Nicodemus is that you can't be good enough to earn salvation. We are ALL sinners and we've all fallen short of the glory of God.
Then in John 4, we have the Samaritan woman at the well. The lowest person on society's totem pole. She was from Samaria, where Jews wouldn't even walk. She was fetching water at noon. She was literally the last person in the world that people would have thought Jesus' would talk to. Yet - when she asked Him why he'd even bother asking her since Jews don't associate with Samaritans, Jesus answer shocked her. Jesus' message to the woman at the well is that you can't be too bad for salvation to be yours. Jesus was going to die for everyone - including the lowest of the low.
I don't know which one you relate to more, but I know that you can't be good enough to deserve Christ's love and you can't be too bad that it's not offered to you. I can relate much more to the woman. I feel like I constantly let my Savior down by sinning. I catch myself so often being prideful, selfish, and arrogant. I look back on my life and can't even count the times I'm sure I have caused my Savior pain. In many ways, if you really knew me, I would be that woman. I am so thankful for God's love and grace today. Tell someone about Jesus today. He's too good not to.
Joel
