THE NECESSITY OF SERVICE
“And he must needs go through Samaria.” John 4:4
Jesus was traveling north from Judea toward Galilee, and stated emphatically that “he must needs go through Samaria.” Why was it so imperative that Jesus go through Samaria? The region of Samaria was located between Judea and Galilee, and was usually avoided because of the great prejudice between the Samaritans and the Jews. Why was it so important for Jesus to go that way? The answer is simple. There was a woman there, a worldly woman, who needed salvation. When this woman came to draw water from the well, Jesus engaged her in conversation and offered her living water. He further identified Himself as the Messiah, and she eventually trusted in Him for salvation.
For Jesus to go through Samaria was a necessity. Serving the Father and fulfilling His will was not an option for our Savior. When He was only twelve years old, He said to Joseph and His mother, “I must be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). Here, the Word of God said of Jesus, “he must needs go through Samaria.” In another place Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). Jesus demonstrated for us the necessity of service.
How many things are there in our lives, or even in our days, that we simply must do? As the children of God, there should be something in us that says, “I must serve the Lord with my life.” There is a compelling sense of duty, a compulsion to take the road of Christian service. If we are not determined and committed to a life of serving the Lord, other interests will always compete with that priority. We must see serving our Savior as nothing less than a necessity.
Jesus modeled the matter of being about the Father’s business when He was only a child. Can we do anything less? There will be those along our way, like the woman at the well, who are waiting for someone to care enough to tell them that there is a Savior who wants to forgive them. If we realize that our purpose in life is to serve Christ, we will be ready with a word of testimony or gospel literature to point them toward the Lord. Sometimes it may take us out of the way we would customarily travel. We may find ourselves speaking to those we might not normally converse with. But, wherever it leads us, we must serve the Master with our lives.