Share the News

Sharing. One of life’s joys. Sometimes.

 

My oldest daughter and son-in-law live out of state so I do not get to see my grandchildren as often as I would like. This past Thanksgiving weekend they were here and I gladly babysat for a few hours.

Generally speaking, the two get along very well and they share with each other.

 

Generally speaking.

 

The day I babysat was a different story. I gave one of them some candy and told her to share with her sister. She did not immediately share – in fact would not – so I asked her why.

 

Her response was, “because I don’t get as much.”

 

Today’s reading is from the Book of Acts, Chapter 8. Pentecost was over. The Holy Spirit was among many people who had travelled to Jerusalem. The Church was formed and Christians were beginning to be persecuted. Most fled Judea.

 

The Apostles initially limited their outreach to Judea, but now they are going to Samaria.

 

Samaria is to the north of Judea. It consists mostly of the land once known as the Northern Kingdom.

 

In 722 BC the Northern Kingdom was defeated by the Assyrians. The Assyrians relocated a number of the Israelite to other lands, and also resettled a number of people from other conquered territories to the Northern Kingdom.

 

Over time the Jews and relocated people intermarried.  Most of the Samaritans worshipped other gods and accepted the religious practices of those from the east.

 

The Judean Jews hated the Samaritans.

 

It must have been a shock to many Judean Christians that the Apostles were taking the Good News of Jesus Christ north to Samaria. To their hated neighbors!

 

Just like I wanted my grandchildren to share candy, God wants us to share the news of Jesus to all people, even those we don’t much like. We should be prepared to tell of Jesus to all people.

 

In my household, the supply of candy is limited, so my grandchild is right: sharing means less for each person.

 

In God’s household, the supply of Jesus’ love is unbounded. In fact, some might say that the more we share Jesus, the more there is for us.

 

Share the news!