Your First Objective

John 4:7-26

Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:26, ESV)

WHEN JESUS ENCOUNTERED A Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, he didn’t share the gospel with her—at least not in the way most evangelicals today would describe “the gospel.” He didn’t lay out the plan of salvation, a set of spiritual laws, or a sinner’s prayer. He didn’t explain the fall of humanity, the gap between us and God, or the way he planned to bridge that gap with the Cross. Hints of those elements are in their dialogue, of course, but today’s spiritual watchdogs would blast Jesus for using such subtleties and mishandling a perfect opportunity to share the truth.

We could learn a lot from this conversation, though. Jesus modeled what we often forget—that truth is relational. For Christians, truth is not an object; it’s a Person. Everything in Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman led back to him. Faith always comes first; understanding comes later. He brought her into a relationship with the Source of all truth.

In trying to share the transforming power of the gospel with others, many Christians today focus first on dissuading people from their worldviews—perspectives on politics, evolution, or abortion, for example. This approach may fuel conversation, but it is rarely fruitful and usually polarizing. The first objective of Christians is not to win people to a worldview; it’s to invite them into a relationship with Jesus. From there, we can trust God to take them wherever he wants them to go intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. The doctrine-first approach is almost impossible, while the Jesus-first approach sets the foundation for everything else to come in God’s time and in his way. Our agenda for other people is often misguided; his is completely trustworthy and will get them exactly where they need to be.

{Holy Spirit, you have a way into every human heart and a language for every mind. Help me remember that it is not my responsibility to convince hearts and minds of my views but to introduce them to my Savior. Open doors for me to point to Jesus. Amen.